'mm  1;; 


2_ 


BV  2622  .W6  A3  1824 
Wolff,  Joseph,  1795-1862. 
Missionary  journal  and 
memoir  of  the  Rev.  Jeseph 


OF  THE 


REV.  JOSEPH  WOLF, 


MISSIONARY  TO  THE  JEWS. 


WRITTEN  BY  HIMSELF. 


REVISED   AND   EDITED 

BY  JOHN  BAYFORD,  ESQ.  F.  S.  A. 


NEW- YORK  : 

PUBLISHED  BY  E.  BLISS  i^  E  WHITE,  128  BROADWAY* 

1824. 


A.  SPOONER,  rRINTBB,  BIIOOILTN. 


\      C  A 


PREFACE. 


vS@«« 


THE  Missionary  labours  of  Mr.  V¥olt  have 
excited  a  very  general  interest.  The  account 
he  giAes  of  his  many  conversations  with  the 
Jews  in  ditierent  places,  is  curious  and  striking. 
He  exhibits  the  Jewish  character  somewhat  in 
a  new  light,  in  the  relation  he  gives  of  their 
manners,  their  opinions,  and  their  general  ha- 
bits of  thinking.  And  he  adds  another  testi- 
mony to  this  most  important  fact,  that  in  the  pre- 
sent day,  Jews  are  every  where  found  well  dis- 
posed freely  to  discuss,  and  candidly  to  inves- 
tigate the  truth  of  the  Christian  Religion. 

The  Journals  of  Mr.  Wolf  have  been  publish- 
ed from  time  to  time  in  the  Jewish  Expositor, 
as  they  reached  this  country.  They  appear 
worthy  of  being  collected  into  a  volume  ;  and 
the  Memoir  of  his  former  life,  and  of  his  con- 
version from  Judaism,  which  at  the  request  of 
his  friends,  he  wrote  before  he  left  England, 
naturally  forms  a  preface  to  the  Journal.  In 
preparing  them  for  the  press,  the  Editor  has  in- 
terfered but  little  with  the  original  manuscripts, 
and  no  further  than  by  the  correction  of  the  more 
striking  errors  in  grammar  and  idiom^  which 


IV  PREFACE. 

indeed  are  very  few,  when  it  is  considered  that 
at  his  landing  in  England,  Mr.  Wolf  was  whol- 
ij  unacquainted  with  the  English  language. 

Considerable  difficulty  has  attended  the  de- 
cypheriug  of  many  of  the  names,  both  of  persons 
and  of  places  :  and  the  Editor  fears  he  may 
have  been  less  successful  than  he  could  have 
wished.  He  entreats  the  indulgence  of  the 
Reader  where  he  has  failed,  either  in  this  or  in 
any  other  respect.  But  he  trusts,  that  on  the 
whole  the  account  he  now  presents  to  the  Pub- 
lic, of  Mr.  Wolf  and  of  his  missionary  exer- 
tions, will  not  be  found  without  interest. 

London,  April  29. 1824. 


jWfDn^lr^  #t< 


NEAR  Bamberg  in  Bavaria  is  a  little  village,  called 
Weilersbach,  which  is  inhabited  by  fifty  Catholic,  and 
fifteen  Jewish  families.  1  was  born  in  this  same  village, 
in  the  year  1796.  My  father  was  the  Rabbi  of  these 
Jews.  M3'  parents  left  this  village  witliin  fifteen  days 
after  I  was  born,  and  came  to  Halle  in  Prussia,  where 
my  father  exercised  again  the  office  of  a  Rabbi.  1  had 
a  strict  Jewish  education  :  my  father  began  to  teach  me 
all  the  Jewish  ceremonies,,  when  I  was  four  years  old  : 
and  told  me  that  all  the  Jews  were  expecting  the  Mes- 
siah,  every  day  and  every  hour,  that  his  advent  could 
not  be  far  off,  and  at  that  time  we  should  dine  on  the 
great  fish,  called  Leviathan.  1  believed  all  my  fa- 
ther told  me.  and  I  considered  Christians  as  worship- 
pers of  a  cross  of  wood,  and  no  better  than  idolaters.  I 
began  to  read  the  Hebrew  prayer-book  when  I  was  six 
years  old,  and  recited  it  every  day,  without  being  able 
to  understand  its  contents.  IvJy  father  sent  me  at  this 
time  to  a  public  Christian  school,  to  be  instructed  in 
German  reading;  but  1  had  his  express  command  never 
to  be  present  when  the  school-master  began  to  speak  on 
a  religious  subject;  and  my  father,  with  this  view,  de- 
sired the  schoolmaster  to  allow  me  to  remain  at  home 
on  those  days  which  were  fixed  for  explaining  the 
Christian  doctrine.  The  schoolmaster  did  sO;  and  1 
continued  to  be  an  orthodox  Jew. 

When  I  was  seven  years  old,  I  walked  one  day  in  my 
room,  occupied  in  meditation;  at  the  same  time  I  thought 
about  Christ  Jesus,  whom  1  considered  as  a  bad  man, 
and  an  enemy  of  the  Jews.     It  occurred  to  my  mind  to 


6 

become  a  Christian,  but  this  purpose  I  disregarded  after 
a  few  minutes,  and  F  was  as  zealous  a  Jew  as  before. 

When  i  was  about  seven  years  and  a  half  )ld,  my 
father  left  Halle,  and  came  to  a  great  village  near  B.  as 
Rabbi  amongst  the  Jews.  I  was  at  this  time  grown  a 
bad  boy,  and  I  began  to  feel  that  I  was  a  great  sinner, 
and  my  conscience  began  to  rebuke  me,  and  I  was  in 
great  distress  as  often  as  1  commi.ted  a  fault.  The 
Jews  of  that  village  were  greater  enemies  of  the  Chris- 
tians than  the  Jews  in  general  are.  My  father  instruct- 
ed me  at  this  time  in  the  books  of  the  Talmud  ;  and 
every  evening  I  was  obliged  to  go  to  buy  milk  at  a  bar- 
ber's, who  was  a  Lutheran  Christian.  My  mother  or- 
dered me  to  be  present  in  the  stable  while  the  barber's 
servant  was  milking,  that  I  might  inform,  if  the  servant 
should  put  any  thing  into  the  milk-pail  which  the  Jews 
are  prohibited  eating  :  for  the  Jews  know,  that  nominal 
Christians  deride  in  this  manner  the  ceremonies,  and  the 
law  of  the  Jews.  But  being  weary  of  staying  so  long 
in  a  stable,  I  went  into  the  dwelling  of  the  barber,  and 
conversed  uith  him  about  our  Messiah,  whom  1  expect- 
ed every  day,  who  would  build  again  the  lemple  of  Je- 
rusalem. Tlie  barber  and  his  wife,  who  were  true  Chris- 
tians, heard  me  with  patience  and  compassion.  Then 
he  said  to  me,  "O!  my  dear  child!  you  do  not  know 
the  true  Messiah.  Jesus  Christ,  whom  your  ancestors 
did  cru«!ify,  was  the  true  Messiah  ;  but  your  ancestors 
always  expected  an  earthly  kingdom,  and  not  a  heaven- 
ly one  ;  and  therefore  they  killed  him,  likewise  as  they 
did  the  prophets,  and  if  you  would  read  witiiout  j)reju- 
your  own  prophets,  you  would  be  convinced."  I  was 
eight  years  old.  I  was  confounded  when  1  heard  them 
thus  speak.  Without  being  able  at  that  time  to  read 
the  prophets  well,  I  believed  what  the  barber  told  me, 
and  said  to  myself  "  It  is  true  that  the  Jews  have  killed 
and  persecuted  prophets,  because  my  father  himself  told 
me  so: — perhaps  Jesus  Christ  was  killed  innocent." 

Two  days  after  my  conversation  with  the  barber,  I 
went  to  the  Lutheran  clergyman  of  that  village,  and  said 
to  him,  "I  will   become   a  Christian."     The   minister 


asked  me,  "  How  old  are  you  ?"  I  answered,  Eight 
years.  He  replied,  "You  are  yet  too  young ;  return 
to  me  after  a  few  years."  I  told  nothing  of  these  cir- 
cumstances to  my  father,  because  I  feared  punishment. 
But  he  observed  himself,  that  I  was  more  unquiet  and 
much  more  thoughtful  than  I  ever  was  before.  Some 
of  my  questions  caused  him  to  suspect;  and  he  said  one 
day  to  my  mother,  while  1  was  in  the  closet  of  the  ad- 
joining room,  where  I  could  hear  it:  ''Alas!  our  son 
will  not  remain  a  Jew  !" 

When  I  was  ten  years  old,  my  father  went  to  another 
town;  and  when  I  was  eleven,  he  sent  me  to  a  different 
place  in  Germany,  under  the  direction  of  a  rich  Jewish 
lady,  whose  intention  was  to  take  care  that  1  should  be 
instructed  in  the  Latin  language,  and  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  Talmud,  in  order  that  I  might  one  day  become  a 
Rabbi,  and  a  physician  to  the  Jews.  I  found  in  the 
house  of  that  lady,  several  Jews  who  were  deists,  like 
the  old  Sadducees;  who  began  to  communicate  their 
sentiments,  that  we  are  not  obliged  to  observe  the  law 
of  Moses,  that  all  men,  as  well  Jews  as  Christians,  have 
the  same  moral  principles,  and  that  Moses  was  a  great 
man,  but  a  great  imposter.  I  did  not  agree  with  them, 
especially  with  regard  to  the  character  of  Moses ; — but 
I  began  to  disregard  the  ceremonies  of  tiie  Jews,  and  to 
have  doubts  about  the  necessity  of  a  revelation.  My 
brother,  who  studied  with  me,  had  not  any  inclination 
to  apply  himself  to  the  sciences,  and  therefore  lie  hin- 
dered me  every  day  when  1  would  study,  and  it  was  im- 
possible to  make  progress.  I  became  for  that  reason 
so  ill  from  sorrow,  that  I  was  obliged  to  return  to  my 
father's  house ;  and  having  not  any  very  good  religious 
principles,  my  moral  character  began  to  fall.  1  some- 
times lifted  mine  eyes  to  heaven,  but  not  with  fdial  con. 
lidence,  or  childlike  simplicity.  The  Lord,  therefore, 
ceased  to  send  me  down  from  heaven  the  dew  of  his 
grace!  My  father  and  mother  observed  something  was 
amiss,  and  shed  tears.  I  was  only  twelve  years  and  a 
half  old,  and  yet  an  insatiable  ambition  and  vanity  had 
taken  possession  of  my  heart. 


8 

After  tliat  ni}'  health  had  been  restored,  I  went  to  my 
uncle,  who  lives  in  Bamberg;  and  my  father,  who  had 
been  ill  some  years  of  a  consumption,  was  obliged  to  re- 
sign his  situation  as  Rabbi,  and  to  return  to  his  native 
place,  called  Weilersbach,  where  I  myself  was  born.  A 
Catholic  m  Bamberg  taught  me  Latin  and  universal 
history;  but  one  day  he  began  to  speak  about  our  future 
state,  and  said,  *'  It  is  an  impossible  tiling  to  be  a  moral 
man  without  God,  without  Christ  /"  he  began  to  read 
the  Gospel  with  me.  I  was  so  delighted,  that  when  I 
returned  to  my  uncle,  1  said,  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
Jews  of  that  place,  "  I  will  embrace  the  Christian  faith  !" 
All  the  Jews,  except  my  uncle,  who  was  indifferent 
then,  began  to  persecute  me  in  such  a  manner,  that  I 
was  obliged  to  fly.  When  I  had  travelled  for  a  day 
without  money,  and  did  not  know  where  I  could  obtain 
a  night's  lodging,  I  found  in  the  field  a  shepherd,  who 
invited  me  to  sleep  in  his  house.  I  accepted  liis  offer- 
ed kindness  :  and  he  returned  with  his  sheep  to  the  vil- 
lage, where  I  was  kindly  received  by  his  whole  poor 
family.  He  entreated  me  the  next  morning  to  accept 
money  to  carry  me  on  in  my  journey  to  Frankfort, 
Without  knowing  any  distinction  betweeu  the  Protest- 
ant and  Catholic  denominations,  I  wished  only  to  be 
more  instructed  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel,  and  to 
be  baptized  in  the  name  of  Christ;  and  to  be  enabled 
by  studying  the  Latin  and  Greek  language,  to  become 
a  future  preacher  of  the  Gospel.  1  went  therefore  to  a 
Protestant  professor  at  Frankfort,  and  told  him  my 
wish,  and  my  intention,  lie  said  to  me :  "  My  dear 
friend,  it  is  not  necessary  to  become  a  Christian,  be- 
cause Christ  was  only  a  great  man,  such  as  our  Luther  : 
and  you  can  even  be  a  moral  man  without  being  a 
Christian,  which  is  all  that  is  necessary."  I  did  not 
accord  with  his  sentiments.  He  introduced  me  to  some 
Jews  who  were  true  Sadducees,  and  my  own  heart  was 
still  divided.  I  gave  ihe  best  part  to  the  world,  and 
the  worst  to  our  Lord,  and  sought  (.  hrist  and  his  reli- 
gion with  but  little  earnestness.  I  loved  human  con- 
\  ersation  too  much,  und  therefore  my  morality  began 


to  sink  again.  And  1  very  often  wished  that  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Deist  might  be  true  ;  but  I  could  never 
satisfy  myself  that  they  were  so:  and  oftentimes  invol- 
untary tears  ran  from  my  eyes.  I  studied  Latin,  and 
Greek,  and  Hebrew,  three  months  at  Frankfort ;  and 
after  that,  I  became  ill  and  was  a  month  in  a  hos- 
pital, where  I  began  to  reflect  about  eternity,  and  resol- 
ved within  myself  to  be  different.  I  came  away  at  the 
end  of  four  months,  and  endeavoured  to  see  my  father 
again,  but  he  was  dead.  I  was  at  the  same  time  four- 
teen years  old.  I  went  from  Weilersbach  to  Halle, 
where  1  had  been  educated,  and  1  went  to  the  Protest- 
ant Professor  Knapp,  teacher  of  divinity  in  the  univer- 
sity. He  said  to  me,  "Do  you  know  Christ.'^  Jesus 
Christ  is  God  over  all.  If  you  do  not  believe  this,  you 
will  commit  a  great  sin  by  becoming  a  Christian." 
Therefore  I  said  to  him  that  I  wished  to  be  more  in- 
structed about  Jesus  Christ.  I  studied  the  Latin,  Greek, 
and  Hebrew  amongst  the  Protestant  pupils  of  the  schools 
in  Halle.  I  heard  several  opinions  about  Christ;  but 
Professor  Knapp  was  the  only  one  who  satisfied  me. 

The  Jews  in  Halle  began  to  persecute  me  in  conse- 
quence of  my  sentiments,  and  my  purpose  to  become  a 
Christian.  I  decided,  therefore,  to  go  to  another  town. 
Professors  Knapp  and  Niemeyr  gave  me  a  testimonial, 
which  testified  my  good  conduct  and  my  diligence  :  and 
I  went  to  Prague  in  Bohemia.  Here  I  applied  again 
to  some  of  the  Catholic  clergymen;  but  they  told  me, 
they  had  been  too  often  deceived  by  Jews,  to  confide  in 
any  of  them  again.  I  quitted  Prague  and  went  to  Vi- 
enna for  the  first  time,  being  fourteen  years  and  a  half 
old.  From  Vienna  I  went  to  Presburg  in  Hungary, 
and  then  returned  to  Vienna  :  whei:  1  arrived  at  Vienna 
the  second  time  1  had  not  a  penny  left.  I  walked  one 
day  dejected  and  sorrowful  in  the  suburbs  of  Vienna; 
and  I  sighed  and  prayed  to  our  Lord  !  A  gentleman 
followed  mc  withoutmy  having  observed  him,  and  tapped 
me  on  the  shoulder.  I  turned  about  much  frightened, 
and  observed  an  oflicer  of  the  Austrian  army.  The  of- 
ficer said  ;  '•  Why  are  you  so  sorrowful  .'^"  I  answered  ; 


10 

"  My  dear  Sir,  I  am  a  young  man  wlio  wishes  to  be  in= 
striicted  in  the  Christian  faith,  and  to  find  friends  who 
will  assist  me  that  I  may  continue  my  studies.  I  came 
therefore  to  Vienna,  but  I  have  found  no  one  to  aid  me, 
and  my  money  is  now  gone."  The  officer  replied  : 
**Have  you  any  testimonies  to  your  character  with 
you."  1  shewed  him  all  my  testimonials  from  tlie  pro- 
fessors of  Halle.  He  said  to  me,  "If  you  will  be  my 
servant  till  you  can  find  any  clergyman  who  will  take 
care  of  you,  you  may  live  with  me,  and  I  will  give  3  ou 
twenty  pence  every  day  and  a  ration  of  bread."  Al- 
though I  was  not  accustomed  to  be  a  servant  I  accepted 
the  offer  notwithstanding.  His  lady  gave  me  the  New 
Testament  and  the  Prophets,  1  read  them  and  prayed 
with  great  devotion  to  our  Lord,  tiiat  he  would  help  me, 
so  that  I  might  be  baptized,  and  become  a  faithful 
preacher  of  his  Gospel.  After  I  had  b^en  three  days  in 
the  officer's  house,  he  found  me  reading  the  jEneid  of 
Virgil :  he  said  to  me  :  "  Do  you  understand  it?"  I  said, 
'*  A  little."  He  examined  me,  and  said  afterwards, 
"  My  good  son,  I  will  not  permit  you  any  more  to  serve 
me,  because  the  Lord  has  cliosen  you  to  be  his  servant : 
you  can  stay  and  live  with  me  and  my  wife,  till  you  find 
a  good  Christian  who  will  assist  you  ;  because,  as  I  am 
a  poor  soldier,  you  cannot  always  remain  with  me." 

I  continued  with  the  officer  for  ten  days,  but  I  found 
nobody  to  give  me  the  assistance  I  wanted  :  and  I  left 
Vienna  at  the  end  of  three  weeks  with  tlie  intention  of 
going  to  M.  in  Bavaria.  I  passed  a  large  and  rich 
cloister  of  monks  in  Austria,  and  entered  into  it,  be- 
cause 1  had  once  read  in  a  romance,  that  a  cloister  was 
a  place  where  good  Christians  assemble  together  to 
sing  hymns  to  Christ  Jesus.  1  went  to  the  abbot  of  this 
convent,  and  said  to  him,  "  Will  you  permit  me  to  abide 
amongst  you,  and  baptize  me  in  Christ's  name,  and 
teach  me  divinity  tliat  I  may  become  a  clerg3'man."  I 
shewed  him  my  testimonials,  and  the  abbot  and  another 
who  were  very  kind  and  Christian  men,  answered  me 
thus  :  "  Qy  the  law  of  the  Austrian  empire,  we  are  not 
allowed  to  baptize  a  Jew,  without  the  permission  of  his: 


11 

parents,  if  he  is  not  eighteen  years  of  age.  If  you  will 
stay  here  three  years  and  a  half  till  you  attain  that  age, 
we  are  ready  to  take  you,  because  we  very  much  res- 
pect the  testimonials  of  Professors  Knapp  and  Niemeyr  ; 
they  are  Protestants,  but  notwithstanding,  true  and 
good  Christians  :  you  will  here  have  time  to  read  the 
Gospel  again,  and  to  comfort  yourself  more  and  more 
with  the  light  of  Christianity." 

When  I  had  been  four  days  in  the  convent,  I  observ- 
ed that  the  monks  disapproved  of  the  abbot's  kind  res- 
olution of  receiving  me,  and  they  began  to  persecute 
me,  saying,  "  We  will  have  no  foreigners  in  our  con- 
vent, and  especially  no  Jew  :  you  can  remain  a  Jew." 
Under  these  circumstances  I  could  stay  no  longer  in  the 
convent,  and  lelt  it  in  six  weeks,  and  came  to  Munich, 
where  I  found  a  Catholic  priest,  who  was  the  first  who 
began  to  show  me  the  distinction  between  the  Protest- 
ant and  Catholic  religion  ;  he  gave  me  to  read,  not  on- 
ly the  Bible,  but  likewise  the  works  of  the  very  enlight- 
ened Bossuet  and  Fenelon,  and  also  some  works  of  un- 
converted Protestants.  1  found  in  the  works  o(  Bossuet, 
Fenelon,  and  Sailer,  the  true  Catholic  principles,  which 
are  entirely  opposed  to  the  abuses  which  are  practised 
in  Rome !  I  began  to  consider  Augustin,  Polycarp,  Je- 
rome, Bernard,  as  fruits  of  the  tree  of  grace.  1  saw,  on 
the  contrary,  in  the  works  of  the  Protestants  which  I 
read  at  that  time  in  Munich,  infidelity  and  blasphemies 
against  Christ,  and  began  to  judge  about  the  spirit  of 
Protestantism  by  these  i'ew  works.  I  had  not  seen  at 
that  time  the  works  of  the  most  enlightened  Storr,  Mil- 
ner,  Scott  Melancthon,  and  Luther:  I  must  likewise 
sincerely  confess  that  my  soul  was  not  yet  prepared  in 
a  true  way  to  embrace  the  grace  of  Chribtianity.  1  read 
at  the  same  time  some  books  which  influenced  my  ima- 
gination, viz.  the  works  of  our  German  poets,  Schiller, 
Wieland, Goethe,  and  Kotzebue,  together  with  the  truly 
spiritual  works  of  Stolberg.  But  I  entered  not  yet  into 
the  recesses  of  my  heart  to  speak  with  Christ  as  with 
my  friend!  1  had  opimons  of  Christ,  and  only  a  specu- 
lative faith!    The  Lord,  therefore,  who  watches   his 


12 

fianctuary,  and  who  loved  me  more  than  I  loved  hlin, 
prevented  my  being  then  baptized.  A  Jew,  when  truly 
called  to  the  Christian  faith,  reads  not  such  worldly 
books. 

I  left  Munich  and  came  to  W.  and  I  can  freely  assert 
that  I  found  only  two  old  women  in  that  city  who  were 
true  Christians.  Icameto  one  of  the  mostlearned  men  of 
tliai  city,  who  conversed  with  me  about  religion,  and 
said  he  had  a  great  respect  for  the  Christian  religion, 
because  it  was  the  true  natural  religion  ;  but  that  he 
thought  the  religion  of  the  Hindoos  in  certain  points 
more  perfect  than  Christ's  religion,  for  they  consider 
the  beasts  and  the  flowers  as  their  brethren.  Another 
of  their  learned  men  said,  "If  you  believe  a  revelation 
which  passes  the  human  understanding,  I  would  counsel 
you  to  embrace  the  Catholic  faith  :  but  when  you  are 
a  naturalist  as  1  am,  I  counsel  you  to  embrace  our 
Protestant  religion,  because  Protestantism  corresponds 
to  the  human  nature." 

After  1  had  been  four  months  in  W.  giving  lessons  in 
Hebrew,  I  departed  for  Switzerland  and  came  to  So- 
leure,  where  an  ex- Jf  suit  began  to  teach  me  not  the 
Gospel,  but  a  little  Catechism,  which  1  was  obliged  to 
learn  by  heart.  I  lodged  in  the  house  of  a  citizen, 
where  1  likewise  boarded.  We  dined  together,  and  be- 
fore we  sat  down,  the  master  of  the  house  and  his  wife 
tu  ned  their  faces  to  an  image  of  the  Virgin  Mary  and 
of  Christ,  in  order  to  ask  a  blessing.  I  turned  my  face 
to  the  window.  The  wife  said  to  me,  pointing  with  the 
finger  to  the  image  of  Christ,  "Mr.  Wolf,  our  Lord  is 
not  at  the  window  ;  he  is  ther'\"  1  considered  this  as 
idolatrous,  and  said  with  anger,  "  Our  Lord  is  at  the 
window  and  every  where;  and  this  is  not  our  Lord,  it 
is  only  a  piece  of  wood."  The  master  of  the  lodging,  and 
his  wife  then  accused  me  to  the  ex-Jesuit,  and  he  com- 
manded me  to  ask  pardon  for  the  scandal  which  I  gave. 
I  would  not,  and  therefore  left  Soleure  ;  and  in  three 
weeks  after  1  arrived  a  second  time  in  Prague,  where 
I  heard  a  Franciscan  monk  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
and  not  popery  and  superstition;  1  went  to  him  after 


id 

he  bad  finislied  his  sermon,  and  lie  introduced  nie  to 
the  Vicar-General  of  the  Archbishop  of  Prague.  This 
venerable  Vicar-General  recommended  me  to  ilie  care 
of  an  abbot  of  a  Benedictine  convent  in  Prague;  and 
a  monk  of  this  convent  read  with  me  the  Prophets,  the 
Gospel,  and  the  most  spiritual  works  of  Catholic  au- 
thors, viz.  Stolberg's,  Sailer's,  Schwarzhueber's,  Tho- 
mas aKempis,  and  Augustin's  ;  and  after  six  weeks  I  was 
baptized  in  the  name  of  Christ,  being  seventeen  years 
old  at  my  baptism.  They  advised  me  to  go  to  Vienna, 
and  study  philosophy  and  the  oriental  dialects.  I  did 
so;  but  the  want  of  sustenance,  and  being  obliged  to 
give  lessons,  hindered  my  improving  in  philosophical 
learning  and  languages  as  I  wished. 

I  must  now  mention  something  which  had  considera- 
ble influence  on  my  future  conduct.  I  sought,  when  I 
arrived  at  Vienna,  some  good  Catholic  C'hristians,  and 
especially  a  pious  confessor.  I  heard  a  good  deal  of 
F.  S.  who  is  one  of  the  most  learned  men  and  excellent 
poets  in  Germany:  he  was  once  a  Protestaiit  Christian 
only  in  name ;  for  his  religion  was  formed  upon  the 
model  of  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans.  His  lady 
was  the  daughter  of  the  famous  Jew  called  M.  Mendel- 
sohn of  Berlin,  and  both  became  Catholics  by  persua- 
sion. I  introduced  myself  to  them,  and  was  kindly  re- 
ceived:  his  lady  is  indeed  a  true  Christian,  and  inherits 
the  talents  of  her  father.  She  and  her  husband  recom- 
mended me  to  their  confessor,  called  Pater  Bofbauer. 
Tf  the  Lord  our  God  had  not  watched  over  me,  1  should 
now  have  been  entirely  initiated  in  the  abominable  sys- 
tem of  Jesuitism  ;  and  indeed  J  was  too  much  the  dupe 
of  it.  T  did  not  then  discern  the  sophistry  of  the  sys- 
tem. But  by  the  grace  of  God  I  saw  it  after  my  depar- 
ture from  Rome,  through  experience  of  its  deformity. 
It  is  well  perhaps  that  1  here  give  the  character  of  P. 
Hofbauer.  Pope  Ganganelli  abolished  the  Jesuits,  and 
died  soon  after  that  noble  decision.  The  popes  after 
him  lamented  it,  and  considered  the  loss  of  the  Jesuits 
as  the  loss  of  their  best  soldiers;  they  purposed  tucre- 
fore  again  to  re-establish  this  order;  but  as  they  could 

2 


14 

not  yet  do  it  openly,  Alfonsio  Maria  Lig^ori,  Bishop 
of  Agatha  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  established  a  new 
religious  order,  and  gave  to  it  the  name,  Congregatio 
Sanctissimi  Redemptoris,  the  statutes  and~malTners  of 
it  being  precisely  those  of  the  Jesuits.  Their  common 
habit  is  a  black  rough  garment,  to  which  a  long  chap- 
let  oftheViigin  Mary  is  attached.  Their  shoes  are 
without  buckles,  and  hats  large,  but  whilst  engap:ed  in 
a  mission,  they  use  any  sort  of  dress.  And  Bishop  Lig- 
iljori,  by  his  zeal  and  eloquence,  and  feigned  holiness, 
and  pretended  miracles,  brought  many  young  men  to 
embrace  his  new  order.  P.  Hofbauer  came  from  Vi- 
enna to  Rome  :  when  the  order  was  sanctioned  by  Ben- 
edict XIV.  he  was  incoiporated  witii  it,  and  afterwards 
sent  by  Pius  VI.  as  Vicar-General  to  Germany  and 
Poland,  and  thence  he  went  to  several  places  in  Ger- 
many. When  Hofbauer  came  to  the  diocese  of  Con- 
stance, he  petitioned  Baron  Wessenberg  to  give  him  a 
place  as  confessor  :  Baron  W.  made  him  confessor  of  a 
nunnery  in  his  diocese;  but  when  he  began  to  engage 
young  men  as  noviciates  for  his  religious  order,  witfiout 
permission  of  the  baron  or  of  the  government,  and  to 
propagate  the  doctrine  of  worshipping  the  Virgin  Mary, 
and  to  distribute  amongst  the  people  miraculous  images 
and  scapularies  according  to  the  commandment  of  Lig- 
nori,  and  likewise  a  work  «)f  Lignori,  entitled,  Visita- 
tiones  beatae  Virginis  Mariae,  an  idolatrous  book,  Wes- 
senberg expelled  him  from  that  country  ;  and  he  de- 
parted with  '.he  noviciates  he  had  engaged,  and  came  to 
Warsaw,  from  whence  lie  was  again  expelled  in  the 
year  1806  by  the  French,  and  every  member  of  his 
convent  ordered  to  return  to  his  own  country.  P.  Hof- 
bauer with  another,  proceeded  to  Vienna,  but  the  other 
subjects  of  his  order  went  to  the  Valais,  in  Switzerland. 
When  the  police  of  Stettin  asked  a  lay-brother  of  that 
order,  from  what  country  are  you  ?  lie  answered.  1  am 
from  the  Valais  :  the  police  understood  that  he  was  born 
tliere,  and  by  this  Jesuitism  was  deceived.  I  discovered 
all  this  after  my  banishment  from  Rome,  when  I  enter- 
ed in  their  convent   in  Switzerland.     This  same   lay- 


15 

brother  is  considered  as  a  saint  by  bis  religious 
brethren. 

While  Hof  bauer  was  my  spiritual  guide,  one  of  his 
fraternity  told  me  that  Hofbauer  was  Vicar- General  of 
a  Missionary  order ;  I  replied  witli*joy,  that  it  was  al- 
ways my  intention  to  become  a  JMissIonary,  and  request- 
ed to  be  incorporated  as  one  in  the  Society  ;  but  they 
said,  they  liad  not  then  a  convent;  but  they  expected 
to  obtain  one  in  Swizerland.  I  saw  a  young  lady  of 
nineteen  years,  come  every  day  to  this  man  ;  she  seemed 
to  possess  great  piety,  and  desired  to  enter  in  a  convent. 

A  Bohemian  baron,  who  was  a  great  bigot,  began  at 
this  time  to  persecute  me,  because  he  thought  I  had  em- 
braced some  Protestant  doctrines  ;  and  once  w  hen  I 
spoke  of  Ganganelli  with  respect,  Hofbauer  was  very 
angry,  and  said  to  me,  '  You  are  full  of  Lutheran  no- 
tions.' I  began  to  read  the  works  of  F.  Schiegel,  which 
he  published  after  his  turning  to  the  Roman  church ; 
the  Roman  church  is  there  represented  as  I  never  saw  it 
before  ;  so  that  it  was  neither  like  the  church  of  Christ, 
nor  like  that  of  Rome,  as  it  now  is,  nor  as  it  is  described 
by  Bossuet  and  Fenelon  :  it  is  the  delineation  of  a 
religion,  partly  poetical  and  partly  philosophical,  in 
which  are  introduced  the  mythology  of  the  old  Greeks, 
and  the  more  modern  superstition  of  the  Hindoos.  He 
is  a  Pau;ano-Christian.  Schiegel  considers  the  crusades 
as  the  most  noble  and  holy  undertaking  of  mankind, 
and  as  the  triumph  of  Christianity ;  and  he  stops  with 
pleasure  to  dilate  on  the  destruction  of  those  who  fell  by 
the  sword  of  nominal  Christian  crusaders;  he  defends 
Charles  the  Fifth,  and  Philip  the  Second;  and  he  calls 
the  Virgin  Mary  the  queen  of  the  heavens. 

The  public  sermons  of  P.  Hofbauer  seemed  to  me  to 
be  according  to  the  Gospel,  but  he  distributed  at  the 
same  time  scapularies  and  chaplets,  and  the  work  Visi- 
tationes  beatae  Viglnis  Maria? ;  and  I  heard  both  Hof- 
bauer and  Schiegel  speak  more  of  the  autiiorlty  of  the 
pope  than  of  Christ,  but  I  excused  it  as  a  respect  due  to 
a  bishop  of  Christ.  In  short,  I  was  not  able  to  refute 
the  wonderful  sophistry  of  Schiegel.     I  remained  a  year 


16 

and  a  half  in  Vienna,  and  I  undertook  a  journey  during 
the  vacation  into  Hungary,  where  I  had  a  recommenda- 
tion to  a  Catholic  Archbishop.  He  was  a  pleasant  man, 
and  had  some  Scriptural  knowledge,  but  I  can  protest 
that  the  name  ofClffist,  and  the  Bible,  are  unknown  to 
the  Catholic  people  of  Hungary,  which  accounts  for  the 
great  number  of  robbers  and  murderers  in  that  country. 

The  worship  of  images  has  taken  place  of  the  worship 
of  Christ,  though  in  some  places  in  Hungary  religious 
worship  is  altogether  forgotten.  I  found  in  Erlan,  a 
town  of  Hungary,  a  Jewish  boj',  six  years  of  age,  in  a 
house  called  the  house  of  converts.  1  asked  how  this 
little  Jew  came  there  ?  They  answered  me  he  was  taken 
from  his  parents  by  force,  at  the  express  command  of 
the  Bishop.  When  I  heard  this,  I  became  indignant, 
especially  when  I  observed  the  sorrow  of  the  poor  child, 
who  was  forced  to  worship  images  and  not  Christ,  in- 
stead of  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Ja- 
cob! I  returned  to  Vienna  after  an  absence  of  six 
weeks.  Being  unable  to  reconcile  these  abuses  with  the 
spirit  of  the  Catholic  religion  as  it  is  represented  by  the 
most  enlightened  Count  Stolbergh,  who  is  the  Fenelon 
of  the  German  Catholics,  I  wrote  to  him,  and  entreat- 
ed him  to  permit  me  to  come  to  him  ;  he  replied,  that  he, 
as  well  as  his  lady  and  his  children,  would  receive  me 
with  brotherly  kindness.  With  the  money  which  I  gain- 
ed by  my  lessons,  and  with  the  assistance  which  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Vienna  aftbrded  me,  1  was  enabled  to  take  a 
place  in  the  coach  to  Landshut,  where  I  gave  a  public 
lecture  on  the  Hebrew  language,  and  1  obtained  so 
much  by  it,  that  I  had  sufficient  to  bring  me  to  the  pa- 
lace of  Count  Stolberg,  in  Westphalia. 

As  1  passed  from  Vienna  to  Westphalia,  I  found  true 
Christians  as  well  amongst  Catholics,  as  amongst  Pro- 
testants. I  was  astonished  when  1  arrived  at  Count 
Stolberg's,  and  saw  that  great  man  :  he  and  his  lady, 
and  fifteen  children  were  examples  of  true  humility  and 
piety.  He  read  with  me  the  New  Testament  in  the  ori- 
ginal text ;  he,  himself,  and  his  wife,  spoke  with  me  of 
the  power  of  Christ,  and  of  his  resurrection  5  of  his  hu- 


17 

mility  and  love  to  his  elected  people  :  and  he  said  to 
me  very  often,  I  feel  great  concern  and  love  for  yon, 
and  for  your  brethren  the  children  of  Abraham !  He 
spoke  with  horror  both  of  the  inquisition  and  the  cru- 
sades, and  considered  both  as  abominable.  He  consi- 
dered John  Huss  a  martyr,  and  spoke  of  Luther  with 
great  regard.  It  was  his  intention,  I  should  remain  in 
his  house  some  years;  and  I  also  desired  and  intended 
it,  because  I  found  myself  very  happy  in  the  company 
of  tnis  grcdt  man.  But  it  was  not  the  will  of  God  that 
I  should  remain  any  longer  than  three  months,  in  the 
house  of  this  great  man.  When  lS;apoleon  returned 
from  Elba  to  France,  Count  Stolberg  and  his  family 
were  in  great  distress,  because  he  was  always  an  adver- 
sary of  that  tyrant,  and  wrote  continually  against  him; 
and  being  so  near  France  he  was  in  danger,  and  deter- 
mined to  go  to  Holstein  to  his  brother,  to  put  himself 
and  children  in  security.  I  left  his  house  with  tears  be- 
cause he  was  my  true  friend,  and  believing  that  his  sys- 
tem is  the  true  spirit  of  the  Roman  church,  and  accords 
with  the  system  of  Catholicism  in  all  ages,  I  continued 
a  true  follower  of  the  Roman  church  ;  and  when  I  stop- 
ped after  my  departure  from  Count  Stolberg,  sometimes 
with  learned  men  of  the  Protestant  denomination,  I 
defended  with  great  fire  the  Roman  church;  and  when 
they  said,  the  Catholics  believe  the  iniallibility  of  the 
l*ope,  and  command  to  worship  images,  I  denied,  and 
declared  that  Count  Stolberg  had  taught  me  the  true 
spirit  of  Catholicism,  which  was  nothing  else  than  the 
true  doctrine  of  the  Gospel.  They  replied,  'Stolberg 
is  a  good  Christian,  but  has  formed  for  himself  his  own 
Catholicism,  which  is  different  from  that  of  Rome;  go 
to  Rome  and  you  will  be  convinced.' 

1  experienced  at  this  time  the  almighty  hand  of  Pro- 
vidence. Count  Stolberg  gave  me,  when  I  left  him, 
twenty-eight  guineas  for  niy  jomniey  ;  I  sent  to  my  mo- 
ther the  greatest  part  of  it,  and  when  I  came  to  T.  I 
had  no  means  of  living.  1  hired  a  lodging,  and  pro- 
mised to  pay  every  month.  When  the  last  day  of  the 
month  arrived,  I  did  not  know  how  to  pay,  and  1  kneel- 


18 

ed  down  and  prayed  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  he 
would  assist  me  to  be  able  to  pay.  I  had  scarcely  finish- 
ed my  prayer,  when  I  received  a  letter  from  Charles 
Dalberg,  Grand  Duke  of  Frankfort,  and  Archbishop  o. 
Ratisbon,  and  1  found  enclosed  in  the  letter  two  guineas, 
which  was  four  times  as  much  as  I  wanted.  He  wrote 
me  word  that  he  was  ready  to  send  me  every  month  the 
same  sum,  as  I  was  recommended  to  him  by  professor 
Klein,  of  Ratisbon.  At  this  time,  I  one  day  heard  as  a 
stranger,  a  public  lecture  of  a  Protestant  professor  about 
the  Catholic  system,  in  which  he  asserted  that  the  Ca- 
tholic church  prefers  the  Vulgate  to  the  original  text, 
and  that  she  teaches  the  worship  of  saints,  and  works  of 
supererogation,  and  indulgences.  T  resolved,  therefore, 
to  go  to  Rome,  because  Protestants  said  to  me.  If  you 
should  manifest  your  sentiments  there,  the  inquisition 
would  excommunicate,  and  perhaps  burn  you.  Having 
been  already  recommended  by  the  Pope's  ambassador 
in  Vienna  to  the  (  ardinal  Litta,  in  order  to  permit  me 
to  enter  the  Propaganda,  I  passed  Basle,  in  Switzer- 
land, where  I  stopped  two  weeks  with  Madame  Krude- 
ner,  and  other  Protestant  Christians,  whom  I  found  equal 
to  Count  Stolberg  in  love,  and  in  true  faith  towards 
Christ  our  Redeemer.  I  heard  them  sing  hymns,  and 
sigh  to  be  united  more  and  more  with  Christ,  and  I  found 
both  Catholics  and  Protestants  in  Berne  of  the  same 
spirit.  Madame  Krudener  said  to  me,  '  The  Gospel 
must  be  always  your  holy  guide,  the  cross  of  Christ 
must  educate  you,  j^ou  must  banish  from  your  mind 
every  uncharitable  spirit.  Tlie  lion  of  Judah  will 
soon  appear  amongst  his  elect  who  have  heard  his  voice.' 
A  Protestant  priest  presented  me  a  little  edition  of  an 
Hebrew  Bible. 

When  I  arrived  at  Freybourg  in  Switzerland,  I  found 
there  an  Egyptian  darkness  amongst  the  Catholics; 
and  a  spirit  of  ignorance  and  intolerance  similar  to  what 
I  had  found  in  Hungary.  A  Catholic  priest  took  away 
by  force  my  Hebrew  Bible,  because  he  observed  that  it 
was  printed  in  a  Protestant  town,  and  therefore  was,  in 
his  view,  heretical.     In  this  town  1  found  only  one  Ca- 


19 

tholic  priest,  named  Girard,  who  was  enlightened  by 
the  Spirit  of  Christ;  and  he  was  persecuted  by  the  whole 
city,  and  considered  and  despised  as  a  heretic. 

I  continued  my  journey,  and  arrived  in  Vevay,  where 
\  found  enlightened  Protestant  Christians,  and  amongst 
others.  Lieutenant  Colonel  G.  A  Protestant  clergyman, 
made  me  a  present  of  another  Hebrew  Bible,  and  per- 
suaded me  to  stay  with  him  eight  days.  At  the  distance 
of  nine  miles  from  Vevay,  I  found  two  English  ladies 
who  were  true  Christians,  and  persuaded  me  to  go  to 
England  ;  but  I  said,  1  will  go  to  Rome,  and  see  what 
my  Pope  believes.  They  replied,  we  fear  you  will  be 
there  in  a  great  danger,  because  your  sentiments  are  not 
according  to  the  popish  system.  I  laughed  and  said,  I 
shall  see  whether  it  is  true  or  not.  From  thence  I  went 
to  the  Valais,  in  Switzerland,  which  is  inhabited  by  Ca- 
tholics, who  were  as  ignorant  as  those  at  Freybourg; 
but  I  saw  there  a  very  joyful  scene.  A  simple  Catholic 
peasant  disputed  as  follows  with  a  Catholic  priest : 

Catholic  Priest.  The  church  permits  not  the  people 
to  read  the  holy  Scriptures. 

Peasant.  I  read  them,  and  have  been  edified  very 
much  ;  a  peasant  is  also  a  man,  and  has  received  an  un- 
derstanding from  God  as  well  as  a  priest ;  and  the 
Bible,  as  the  word  of  God,  is  open  to  all  mankind.  You 
priests  intend  only  to  keep  us  in  ignorance,  but  the  time 
of  ignorance  is  passed.  He  said  all  this  with  a  holy  and 
ardent  zeal  !  I  myself  defended  him  against  the  priest, 
and  the  priest  could  not  answer,  and  was  confounded 
and  ashamed. 

I  had  a  recommendation  to  the  Superior  of  a  Jesuit 
convent  in  B.  in  the  Valais.  The  Superior  received  me 
with  great  kindness,  and  intreated  me  to  stay  some  days 
with  them  ;  the  members  of  his  convent  are  all  very 
gentle,  and  have  a  pleasing  external  appearance.  The 
Superior  seemed  to  me  to  possess  more  Scriptural  know- 
lege  than  any  I  had  met  with,  and  he  wrote  several  ver- 
ses of  exhortation,  and  encouragement  from  Scripture 
in  my  remembrance-book. 


20 

An  awful  silence  Is  observed  the  whole  clay  in  the 
convent.  I  there  read  the  Catechism  of  Melchior  Can- 
isine;;  he  was  the  first  who  introduced  the  Pope  in  the 
Catechism.  This  is  the  most  abominable  book  1  ever 
read  !  1  asked  one  of  them,  *'  What  is  every  Jesuit  obli- 
ged to  do  ?  He  answered,  "  To  renounce  his  own  will, 
and  to  render  a  blind  obedience  to  tlie  Superior,  whose 
will  he  is  to  consider  as  the  will  of  Almighty  God,  who 
speaks  to  him  always  by  the  mouth  of  his  superior." 

I  continued  my  journey  after  I  left  the  convent,  whose 
character  seemed  to  me  so  enigmatical.  I  stopped  in 
Milan  eight  days,  where  an  Italian  lord  gave  me  a  let- 
ter for  Cardinal  Vidoni  in  Rome.  I  found  some  Cath- 
olic professors  in  Milan,  who  were  true  worshippers  of 
Christ ;  they  said  to  me,  "  They  vend  in  Rome,  Christ 
and  his  Gospel,  but  only  the  Pope  is  worshipped.  You 
must  not  go  to  Rome,  because  they  will  put  you  in  pri- 
son." I  said,  ''  I  will  satisfy  myself  about  it  with  my 
own  eyes." 

1  was  introduced  to  the  professors  of  the  university  at 
Milan,  and  I  travelled  from  thence  to  Novara,  in  Pie- 
mout,  where  1  had  a  letter  for  a  nun  of  a  convent.  She 
and  all  her  devout  sisters  received  me  with  great  kind- 
ness, and  showed  me  great  hospitality.  I  remained  three 
days  at  Novara,  where  I  received  a  recommendation  for 
Cardinal  Cacciapati,  and  went  to  Turin.  I  was  so 
much  imposed  upon  by  the  landlords  in  Italy,  that  I 
had  no  more  than  a  penny  left  when  I  arrived  in  Turin. 
Having  recommendations  from  the  foreign  ambassadors 
at  Berne  to  those  at  Turin  and  Rome,  I  went  to  Count 
Truchsesz,  Prussian  ambassador  at  Turin,  and  gave 
him  the  letter,  and  said  to  him,  That  I  should  write  to  my 
benefactor,  Duke  Dalberg,  to  solicit  some  more  money, 
but  1  did  not  know  where  to  stay  at  Turin,  till  I  recei- 
ved it.  He  said  to  me.  You  need  not  write  for  money, 
you  may  stay  with  me  and  my  lady  eight  or  ten  days, 
and  I  will  show  you  the  most  remarkable  things  in  this 
city,  and  will  introduce  you  to  the  other  ambassadors 
and  some  learned  men,  and  after  that  I  will  give  you  as 
much  as  you  want  for  your  journey  to  Rome. 


21 

I  observed  the  church  of  Christ  among  the  Waldenses 
in  the  valley  of  Piemont.  Count  T.  gave  me  eight 
guineas.  Mr.  David  Baillie  of  London,  \vho  under- 
stood German,  was  at  Turin,  and  finding  nic  in  the 
house  of  the  Russian  ambassador,  invited  me  to  accom- 
pany him  on  his  journey  to  Genoa  at  his  exjDense.  By 
the  kindness  of  that  gentleman,  I  saved  my  money  till 
my  arrival  in  Genoa,  where  I  was  recommended  to  the 
consul  of  Prussia,  who  took  a  passage  for  me  in  a  ship 
for  Civita  Vecchia  ;  but  the  wind  being  contrary,  we 
anchored  at  a  town  twelve  miles  from  Genoa,  more  than 
fourteen  days.  This  was  an  occasion  of  sorrow,  because 
all  things  were  very  dear,  and  my  money  diminished 
from  day  to  day.  I  could  not  yet  speak  Italian,  and  no 
one  in  the  ship  spoke  French.  1  observed  a  Domini- 
can monk  from  Spain,  and  conversed  with  him  in  Latin. 
I  told  him  that  1  wished  not  to  lose  so  much  time  in  so 
miserable  a  port.  The  Dominican  replied.  Patience  is 
a  Christian  virtue,  and  we  cannot  be  true  followers  of 
Christ  widiout  the  possession  of  this  virtue,  because  it 
proves  a  want  of  faith.  1  was,  from  this  time,  always 
in  his  company,  and  liked  him  as  a  father ;  he  seemed 
to  lose  himself  in  continual  meditation  on  the  suffering 
Redeemer,  and  united  to  his  religion  a  humanity  which 
I  scarcely  found  amongst  other  monks.  The  contrary 
wind  arose  as  soon  as  we  arrived  at  liCghorn,  and  I  land- 
ed with  the  intention  of  undertaking  tlie  journey  from 
thence  to  Rome  on  foot,  because  I  feared  I  should  not 
have  enough  to  pay  the  captain,  if  I  continued  my 
journey  by  sea.  By  the  time  1  had  walked  a  quarter  of 
a  mile,  I  was  unable  to  proceed  on  accouiU  of  the 
heat.  In  the  time  of  necessity  men  learn  to  call  upon 
the  Watchmen  of  Israel.  The  reason  is  this,  they  per- 
ceive no  help  on  the  right  hand  nor  on  the  left ;  but 
above  they  can  see  a  Father  of  mercy  who  cov  ercth  the 
heaven  with  clouds,  who  preparcth  rain  for  the  earth, 
who  maketh  the  grass  to  grow  upon  the  mountains,  and 
who  giveth  to  the  beast  his  food,  and  to  the  young- 
ravens  which  cry.  He  who  has  a  heart  renewed  by  the 
grace  of  God,  who  is  able  to  cry,  Abba,  Father,  looks 


22 


to  that  Redeemer  who  died  for  us,  considers  the  lilies  of 
the  field  how  they  grow,  and  then  he  begins  to  knock  at 
the  door  of  mercy ;  and  often  God  is  pleased  to  open  it. 
I  kneeled  down  and  pra3'ed,  perhaps,  two  minutes, 
when  a  coach  came  up,  containing  three  genilemen.  I 
asked  the  coachman  whether  he  had  a  place  for  me,  and 
could  convey  me  for  a  small  reward  to  Florence.  He 
said,  he  would  convey  me  for  half  a  guinea.  I  agreed, 
and  I  accompanied  the  other  gentlemen,  amongst  whom 
was  a  sea-officer  of  the  kingdom  of  Piemont,  who  under- 
stood a  little  German,  and  talked  French  very  well. 
The  sea-officer  asked  me  where  I  intended  to  go  ?  I 
answered.  To  Rome,  to  enter  the  Propaganda,  for  the 
improvement  of  my  understanding,  and  to  become  a 
Missionary.  He  asked,  why  I  did  not  agree  with  the 
coachman  to  convey  me  to  Rome,  as  he  would  pay  the 
landlord  for  my  dinner  and  bring  me  to  Rome  for  four 
guineas.  I  replied.  Because  I  have  only  three  gumeas 
and  a  half.  The  sea-officer  offered  to  lend  me  two  guin- 
eas, if  I  would  promise  to  return  him  the  money  when 
we  arrived  at  Rome.  1  promised  him  to  do  it,  having 
confidence  in  God's  fatherly  providence,  that  on  my  ar- 
rival at  Rome,  he  would  supply  me  with  the  means  to 
satisfy  this  generous  sea-officer  I  continued  my  jour- 
ney to  Rome,  and  when  I  passed  Siena,  a  town  of  Tus- 
cany, 1  went  to  see  a  house  which  was  once  the  habita- 
tion of  a  Christian  lady  called  Catharine  of  Siena, 
whose  spiritual  works  1  had  read  in  the  German  trans- 
lations ;  she  spoke  with  great  freedom  against  the  pomp 
of  the  Pope,  and  his  Cardinals  and  Bishops.  At  length 
I  arrived  at  the  gates  of  Rome,  where  I  saw  the  cross  of 
Christ,  upon  which  is  painted  the  key  of  St.  Peter  with 
the  inscription  '  P«a?,'  the  arms  of  the  pope,  placed 
near  the  town  gates.  I  was  much  surprised.  1  found 
by  accident.  Mess.  T.  and  I.  H.  two  truly  converted 
Jews,  painters  from  Germany,  on  my  arrival  in  Rome  j 
we  knew  each  other  by  report,  and  they  paid  for  me  to 
the  sea-officer  the  two  guineas  1  had  borrowed.  They 
introduced  me  to  a  respectable  Roman  priest,  who  con- 
ducted me  to  Cardinal  Litta.     The  Prussian,  Bavarian, 


23 

iliissian,  aiut  Dutch  ambassadors  to  whom  I  was  intro- 
duced, recon)mended  me  likewise  to  Cardinal  Litta, 
who  is  tlie  most  respectable  and  learned  of  all  the  Car- 
dinals, and  the  prefect  of  the  Propaganda.  H("  promi- 
sed me  to  speak  to  the  Pope  that  I  might  enter  into  one 
of  the  colleges  at  Rome,  as  a  member  of  the  Propagan- 
da, till  the  college  of  Propaganda,  which  had  been 
destroyed  by  the  French,  should  be  re-opened.  The 
first  month  after  my  arrival  in  Rome,  before  I  en- 
tered tfie  seminary  called  Seminario  Pontifico,  and  be- 
fore I  attended  the  public  lectures,  was  very  pleasant. 
I  formed  an  acquaintance  with  some  Christian  cler- 
gymen and  prelates,  and  also  with  many  pious  paint- 
ers and  sculptors.  I  saw,  before  I  entered  tie  Semina- 
rio Romano,  the  chief  works  of  Raphael  and  IMichael 
Angelo ;  I  considered  the  place  in  the  amphitheatre, 
where  Ignatius  the  mart}  r  was  the  food  of  beasts,  for 
Christ's  sake;  and  where  so  many  other  (  hristians  be- 
came, as  Milner  says,  God's  wheat  ground  by  the  teeth 
of  wild  beasts  ;  and  I  gazed  with  much  astonishment  at 
the  ruins  of  the  ancient  Rome.  I  saw  Fius  VII.  before  I 
was  introduced  to  him,  in  the  church  of  St.  Maria 
Maggiori  :  he  appeared  to  be  a  man  of  deep  piety, 
humility,  and  devotion.  I  read  every  evening  the  Pro- 
phets, with  the  before  mentioned  German  artists. 

The  Prince  of  Gotha  and  Monsieur  Testa,  Secretary 
of  the  Pope,  spoke  of  me  to  Pius  VIl.,  and  on  the  9tli 
August,  1816,  1  was  introduced  to  him  ;  he  received  me 
not  as  a  king  his  subject,  but  as  a  father  receives  his  son, 
and  he  said  to  me,  that  he  had  given  orders  to  the  pre- 
fect of  the  German  college  to  pay  the  Seminario  Roma- 
no for  my  board,  that  I  might  stay  there  till  the  Propa- 
ganda was  re-established. 

1  entered  the  Seminario  Romano  the  5th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1816,  being  20  years  of  age.  1  received  a  long 
violet  blue  garment,  and  a  triangular  hat  like  the  other 
pupilb  of  that  college.  At  this  time  tlie  vacations  of  the 
schools  took  place,  which  continued  till  the  month  of 
November  :  and  1  found  not  so  much  edification  in  the 
Seminario  Romano,  as  in  the  shops  of  the  German  art- 


24 

ists.  The  Seminario  has,  besides  the  master  and  vice- 
master,  a  prefect  also,  who  was  a  priest  like  the  former, 
bwt  a  man  of  no  talent.  He  accompanies  the  pupils 
every  day  in  their  walks,  and  when  they  assist  any 
Bishop  or  Cardinal,  or  the  Pope,  in  any  ceremony. 
He  calls  the  pupils  every  day  for  the  rosary  prayer,  and 
closes  the  door  of  the  pupils'  room  in  the  evening,  and 
calls  them  up  in  the  morning.  This  is  the  whole  duty  ; 
he  receives  for  it  two  crowns  per  month,  and  his  board. 
When  the  prefect  opens  the  doors,  and  awakes  the  pu- 
pils, oiie  of  them  is  obliged  to  recite  the  Litany  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  and  they  are  all  obliged  to  cry,  "  Ora 
pro  nobis,"  which  they  do  mechanically,  and  without 
devotion  !  After  that,  they  go  into  the  private  chapel, 
and  read  a  meditation  taken  from  the  book  of  the  Jesuit 
Segneri,  which  contains  some  good  things,  together 
with  Moiiammedan  notions  and  abominable  superstitions. 
The  description  of  hell  and  paradise  here  given,  is  the 
same  I  read  once  in  a  superstitious  Rabbinical  book, 
and  in  a  surah  of  the  Alcoran  !  After  meditation  they 
go  to  hear  mass  in  another  private  chapel,  and  then 
breakfast ;  and  in  the  days  when  public  lectures  are 
given,  they  a -e  obliged  to  walk  eight  or  nine  hours, 
in  the  first  month  of  my  stay  in  that  seminary,  I  went 
with  the  others  to  see  the  canonization  of  Alfonsio  Ma- 
ria Ligori  by  Pius  Vll.,  and  1  considered  the  canoni- 
zation not  as  a  beatification  and  sanctification,  but  only 
as  a  representation,  or  a  description  of  the  grace  of  God 
working  in  the  individual  ;  but  I  found  afterwards,  that 
my  idea  was  not  according  to  the  Romish  system.  lu 
Rome,  they  divide  the  canonization  into  two  acts,  call- 
ing the  first  act  Beatificazione,  and  the  second  Sanctifi- 
cazione  :  both  acts  cost  the  family  of  the  saint  a  great 
price.  The  words  beatificazione  and  sanctificazione  cor- 
respond entirely  to  the  Latin  words,  bcatuin  facere, 
and  sanctum  facere  aliquem.  But  how  can  1  believe 
that  a  Pope  can  make  saints  ?  since  Rome  herself  con- 
fesses that  Poj)es  may  burn  in  hell. 

In  November,  the  Exercitia  Spiritualia  (which  always 
precede  the  public  lectures,  and  every  solemn  festival) 


began  ;  a  strange  clergyman,  or  some  monk,  is  invited 
at  such  a  time  to  preach  to  the  pupils  about  their  duty. 
The  pupils  of  the  college  are  obliged  to  observe  a  strict 
silence  two  days,  and  are  ordered  to  meditate  and  to  go 
every  day  three  times  into  the  chapel,  to  hear  the  ser- 
mons or  exhortations  of  the  missionary.  The  act  be- 
gins with  holy  song,  "  Veni  Sancte  Spiritus  reple  tuo- 
rum  corda  fidelium,  et  tui  amoris  ignem  in  eis  accende, 
emitte  spiritum  tuum  et  creabuntur,  et  renovabis  faciem 
terrte."  1  heard  sometimes,  but  not  often,  sermons  very 
fine,  and  according  to  the  gospel,  especially  when 
Prince  O.  the  Stolberg  of  Rome,  preached  to  us  in  the 
seminary.  He  unites  the  zeal  of  Elias  and  true  Christi- 
anity, with  great  worldly  possessions  ;  and  adds  to  an 
unquestionable  zeal  and  love  for  the  gospel,  the  charac- 
ter of  a  man  of  learning  and  philosophy. 

After  the  spiritual  exercises,  the  school  was  opened, 
and  the  Professor  of  Scholastic  Divinity  began  to  dic- 
tate "  de  Tractatu  Gratife,"  which  we  were  obliged  to 
write.  In  his  preface  to  the  subject,  he  uttered  the  fol- 
lowing sentence,  "  The  subject  of  grace  being  a  diffi- 
cult point,  I  exhort  you  at  first  not  to  think  about  it  too 
much  ;  but  only  to  take  the  infallible  authority  of  the 
Popes  and  of  the  Councils  for  the  rule  of  faith  ;  and  we 
must  believe  St.  Augustine's  sentiments  about  that  point, 
not  more  than  when  his  sentiments  accord  with  any  bull 
of  the  Popes,  because  Pius  V.  did  condemn  everyone  in 
his  bull,  if  he  asserted  that  the  authority  of  St.  Augus- 
tin  about  the  point  of  grace,  is  equal  to  the  Pope's  au- 
thority.'' After  the  first  hour  was  passed.  1  said  to  the 
Professor  in  the  presence  of  all  the  other  priests,  "  You 
speak  here  about  the  authority  of  the  Pope  in  such  a 
manner,  that  I  suppose  you  believe,  and  command  to 
others  to  believe,  the  infallibility^  of  the  Popes  !"  He 
replied,  "  They  believe  in  Rome  indeed,  that  the  Pope 
is  infallible,  but  they  don't  believe  it  in  France."  I 
answered,  •'  the  Catholics  in  Germany  do  not  believe 
it !"  When  I  spoke  thus,  all  the  priests  present  arose 
against  me,  and  said,  "  If  you  will  stay  longer  in  Rome, 
you  must  believe  it ;  wretched  wicked  man  !  do  not  you 

3 


26 

believe  the  iiifalirbity  of  the  Pope  ?"  I  rejoined  angri- 
ly, "  I  believe  not  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope."  And 
when  I  had  said  this,  I  left  the  lecture-room,  and  went 
to  the  C.'ardinal  Litta,  and  told  him  that  I  had  had  a 
dispute  about  the  Pope's  infallibility,  and  that  I  did  not 
believe  it.  The  Cardinal  said  to  me  with  great  kind- 
ness and  softness,  "  You  must  not  dispute  about  this 
subject  until  you  have  finished  your  studies.  You  will 
be  persuaded  of  the  Pope's  infallibility  when  you  have 
heard  the  reasons  "  For  a  long  time  1  obeyed  the  Car- 
dinal's injunction  ;  but  when  1  heard  them  one  day  call 
the  Pope  God,  and  heard  this  title  defended  by  the  most 
learned  men  of  Rome,  who  told  me  that  he  merits  such  a 
title,  because  he  has  power  not  only  upon  the  earth,  but 
likewise  over  Purgatory,  and  in  heaven,  and  because 
whatever  the  Pope  absolves  in  the  earth,  is  absolved  in 
Leaven,  and  that  they  call  the  Pope  God  upon  earth  on 
account  of  his  power  to  sanctify  and  to  beatify — when  I 
beard  such  arguments  as  these,  I  understood  Paul's 
words,  *'  He  as  God  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  shew- 
ing himself  that  he  is  God  :"  and  I  could  no  longer  ab- 
stain from  protesting  against  such  an  idolatrous  opinion, 
and  exclaimed  :  *'  The  Pope  is  a  man  as  I  am,  the  Pope 
is  dust  of  the  earth  as  I  am." 

From  this  time  I  began  to  neglect  scholastic  divinitv, 
and  an  ardent  desire  to  read  the  holy  scriptures  took 
possession  of  my  heart,  to  such  a  degree  as  1  never  felt 
before.  I  read  them  the  whole  day,  and  took  the  Bible 
with  me  into  the  lecture-room,  where  I  read  in  it  of  the 
salvation  of  men,  and  the  mercy,  and  the  justice  of  our 
Lord,  while  the  Professor  was  proving  the  doctrines  of 
the  Roman  cljurch,  Ex  damnatione  Berengarii,  Hussii 
et  Lutheri  a  Summis  Pontificibus  !  1  used  after  this,  con- 
trary to  the  rules  of  the  Seminary,  to  remain  in  my 
room,  and  read  the  scriptures,  while  the  other  pupils 
went  to  take  exercise  in  walking,  or  to  assist  in  the 
churches.  When  I  had  been  about  three  months  in  the 
Pope's  Seminary,  Mr.  Bailie,  with  whom  had  travel- 
led from  Turui  to  Genoa,  came  to  Rome,  and  called  at 
the  Seminary  to  see  me ;  when  he  observed  that  1  was 


27 

distressed  at  having'  no  oriental  books,  nor  any  master 
for  learning,  and  continuing  the  oriental  languages,  he 
bought  me  books,  and  gave  me  two  guineas  monthly, 
and  I  was  thus  enabled  to  take  an  oriental  master.  From 
that  moment  1  was  persecuted  by  the  whole  college: 
they  said,  "Of  what  use  are  the  holy  scriptures  and  the 
eastern  languages  to  you,  if  you  do  not  know  the 
scholastic  divinity,  which  alone  can  enable  you  to  argue 
against,  and  to  refute  the  abominable  sophisms  of  the 
wretched  Protestants,  who  believe  neither  in  Popes  nor 
in  traditions."  1  began  to  weep  when  they  spoke  thus 
to  me.  1  received  at  the  same  time  the  four  ordines  mi- 
nores  with  the  title  Alumnus  Congregationis  Propagan- 
doe  Fidei.  I  continued  notwithstanding  to  read  the 
scriptures;  and  neglected  entirely  the  study  of  scholas- 
tic divinity.  Cardinal  Litta  at  length  commanded  me 
to  study  tiie  letter,  and  I  did  so  for  a  short  time.  But 
though  I  only  employed  half  an  hour  at  a  time  in  read- 
ing the  divinity  of  Tournely  and  Bellarmin,  which  is  of 
this  class,  1  constantly  arose  wearied,  and  I  often  walked 
about  my  room  reciting  verses  of  the  holy  scriptures  a 
hundred  times  in  a  melancholy  frame,  and  especially 
the  following  verse,  in  Hebrew  :  "  Drop  down,  ye  heav- 
ens, from  above,  and  let  the  skies  pour  down  righteous- 
ness; let  the  earth  open,  and  let  them  bring  forth  sal- 
vation, and  let  righteousness  spring  up  together;  1  the 
Lord  have  created  it:"  and  when  1  had  recited  such  a 
verse,  I  could  not  abstain  from  reading  the  whole  chap- 
ter in  which  it  was  contained,  and  in  this  way  1  disobey- 
ed the  injunctions  of  the  Cardinal. 

The  Professor  of  Church  History  was  one  of  the 
most  prudent  and  sensible  men  of  the  clergy  at  Rome. 
During  the  French  government  he  was  a  follower  of 
Napoleon,  and  an  adversary  to  the  Pope.  He  was  a 
zealous  }{oman  Catholic  notwithstanding,  and  convert- 
ed six  or  seven  German  Protestants  to  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic religion,  and  amongst  them  the  facetious  German 
poet  F.  L.  Zacharias  Werner ;  he  taught  them  the  prin- 
ciples of  Bossuet,  Fenelon,  and  Pascal,  and  knew  how- 
to  accommodate  himself  to  the  character  of  the  German 


28 

people,  He  presented  all  who  were  converted  by  Inm, 
to  the  confessor  of  the  Pope  that  they  might  receive 
confirmation.  ;  he  confessor  and  bishops  remained  by 
express  command  of  the  Pope  in  Rome,  to  watch  the 
treasury  of  the  relics  of  the  saints,  when  the  Pope  was 
taken  as  a  prisoner  to  France.  When  the  Pope  return- 
ed from  his  exile,  the  followers  of  Napoleon  were  either 
put  in  prison,  or  exiled  by  the  Pope's  command  from 
Rome;  and  Pius  VII.  intended  to  have  banished  with 
the  rest  the  before  mentioned  professor  of  Church  His- 
tory, but  the  confessor  of  the  Pope  saved  him,  saying 
that  he  should  be  pardoned  because  he  had  converted 
many  Germans  of  distinction  to  the  Romish  church,  and 
the  Pope  pardoned  him  accordingly ;  and  then  he  soon 
professed  himself  the  enemy  to  Napoleon,  and  a  zealous 
follower  of  the  Pope. 

The  Lectures  upon  Church  History  occupy  four 
years,  and  yet  they  only  come  down  to  the  fourteenth 
century.  Dissertations  about  celibacy,  the  holy  wars, 
and  the  infallibility  of  the  Popes,  and  reconciling  the 
fallibility  of  Pope  Honorius  with  the  doctrine  of  infal- 
libility, take  up  the  greatest  part  of  the  history.  The 
professor's  prudence  surprised  me,  when  he  lectured  on 
the  history  of  Henry  IV.  and  Gregory  VII.  So  long  as 
he  was  able  to  defend  the  latter  against  the  emperor,  he 
did  it ;  but  when  he  came  to  facts  mentioned  of  the  Pope 
which  he  could  not  defend,  he  merely  read  the  history, 
and  left  us  to  form  our  own  judgment.  I  only  found  one 
amongst  the  pupils  of  the  Seminary,  who  had  a  spirit 
of  tolerance,  and  knowledge  of  the  Bible. 

The  ambassador  of  the  king  of  Prussia  being  inform- 
ed of  my  critical  situation,  became  my  protestor  and 
friend,  and  wrote  about  me  to  the  government  of  Prus- 
sia, and  advised  me,  as  Count  Stolberg  also  did,  by  let- 
ter, to  be  prudent  and  cautious  in  disputing;  and  indeed 
further,  that  I  should  entirely  avoid  every  disputation : 
but  1  did  not  follow  their  advice,  and  indeed,  could  not 
well  do  so.  I  thought  frequently  of  escaping  from  the 
Seminary  by  night,  when  1  considered  the  great  loss  of 
time  I  sustained  in  idolatrous  ceremonies;  but  the  Prus- 


29 

sian  ambassador,  and  the  pious  German  artists  forbade 
me  to  attempt  any  thing  so  inconsiderate  and  danger- 
ous. ]\Iy  German  friends  invited  me  sometimes  to  dine, 
and  to  hold  spiritual  conversation  with  them,  to  refresh 
my  spirits,  as  my  continual  disputes  destroyed  all  de- 
votional feeling,  and  Christian  meekness.  Overbeck 
said  to  me,  "  We  must  bear  the  prejudices  of  other  men 
^vith  meekness  and  humility,  because  we  are  all  more 
or  less  prejudiced."  But  I  replied,  "  When  1  find  things 
in  the  very  seat  of  Catholicism  which  prove  the  re- 
proaches of  Protestants  to  be  just,  I  cannot  be  quiet. 
The  Protestants  of  Germany  believe  me  to  be  an  hypo- 
crite in  entering  the  Roman  Catholic  church;  and  I 
should  be  such,  if  1  were  to  consent  to  these  abuses.'* 
Overbeck  replied  :  "You  are  notyetable  to  check  such 
things  as  these;  you  must  wait  as  Christ  did  till  you  arc 
thirty  years  of  age:  and  you  will  surely  fall,  and  will 
embrace  the  doctrines  you  now  abhor,  if  you  will  not 
hear  the  veice  of  your  friends."  The  pious  Schadow 
also  remonstrated  with  me;  and  submitting  to  my  Ger- 
man friends,  I  returned  after  dinner,  to  the  college,  and 
on  the  following  day,  I  heard  the  following  conversa- 
tion between  three  of  their  theologians,  which  enabled 
me  to  understand  the  true  spirit  of  the  Romish  court, 

B.  Abbot  O.  will  be  soon  a  Bishop. 

F.  Why.? 

B.  He  is  not  only  approved  by  the  Cardinal  Litta, 
but  likewise  by  Prince  P.  and  he  is  very  much  attached 
to  the  Pope. 

F.  The  enemies  of  the  Pope  will  altogether  soon  per- 
ish, because  the  Pope  has  now  made  a  concordat  with 
the  king  of  Bavaria  !  The  Jesuits,  perhaps,  will  be  es- 
tablished again  in  that  kingdom. 

O.  Cardinal  S.  will  now  soon  arrive  from  Vienna, 
and  I  shall  have  considerable  influence  with  hin),  be- 
cause he  has  heard  that  J  converted  those  famous  Pro» 
testants,  and  1  hear  Mr.  Tamburini  has  no  longer  any 
influence  in  Pavia. 

/  myself.     What  sort  of  a  man  is  Tamburini  f 

O.     He  is  a  wicked  and  w  retched  man. 
3* 


30 

1  myself.     In  what  consists  his  wickedness. 

O.  He  is  an  enemy  of  the  Pope,  and  wrote  against 
his  authority. 

F.  The  Germans  are  very  obstinate,  and  Austria 
especially. 

O.  But  I  hope  they  will  soon  be  reconciled,  be- 
cause the  Archbishop  of  O.  and  Mr.  S.  S.  are  friends  of 
the  Curia  Romana. 

F.    How  is  France.'' 

O.  Well  disposed,  because  the  Pope  elected  some 
Cardinals,  not  long  ago,  from  the  French  Bishops,  and 
they  wrote  to  the  Pope,  in  the  most  humble  and  sub- 
missive manner,  saying,  that  they  consider  the  primacy 
and  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope,  as  the  chief  foundation 
of  the  Catholic  religion. 

I  heard  that  Baron  Wessenberg,  Vicar-general  of  the 
Pope,  of  Constance,  was  not  acknowledged  by  the  Pope 
as  Bishop  of  Constance,  after  the  death  of  Duke  Dal- 
berg,  as  the  grand  Duke  of  Baden,  and  the  Chapter  of 
Constance  wished,  and  that  the  Pope  had  published  a 
Bull  against  him  ! — This  proceeding  much  dissatisfied 
me,  because  1  was  well  acquainted  with  Baron  W.,  and 
was  persuaded  that  he  was  a  good  Christian,  and  a  most 
worthy  Prelate  of  the  German  Catholic  Church. 

I  wrote,  therefore,  three  letters,  the  first  to  Cardinal 
Litta,  the  second  to  Prelate  Testa,  and  the  third  to  Car- 
dinal F. ;  and  I  mentioned  to  them,  that  the  Germans 
considered  Baron  Wessenberg  as  a  pious  and  learned 
man,  and  that  I  was  persuaded,  the  Bull  published 
against  him  would  be  revolting  to  the  fselings  of  every 
German  ;  and  that  the  Grand  Duke  of  Baden  would  not 
respect  the  Bull.  1  added,  that  1  could  not  but  approve 
the  conduct  of  the  Duke;  and  that  the  power  of  the 
Court  of  Rome  would  surely  sink  if  it  did  not  act  with 
more  prudence  and  meekness :  and  I  reminded  them 
that  we  now  live  in  the  nineteenth  century,  and  not  in 
the  eleventh.  Cardinal  Litta  and  Mass.  Testa  an- 
swered me  with  great  kindness,  and  praised  my  sinceri- 
ty ;  but  Cardinal  F.  went  to  Cardinal  Litta  and  said, 
^'  I  have  now  a  bad  opinion  of  Wolf:  how  can  he  prefer 


e31 

the  judgment  of  the  Grand  Duke  of  Baden,  who  is  a 
Protestant,  to  the  judgment  of  the  holy  father?"  Car- 
dinal Litta  defended  me,  saying,  I  had  a  warm  heart, 
and  did  oftentimes  not  reflect  on  what  I  did  :  and  he 
commanded  me  in  future,  to  write  to  no  Cardinal  ex- 
cept himself. 

I  frequently  heard  the  noise  of  a  crowd  of  people  flock- 
ing  to    the  church   called    Rotunda,  and  exclaiming, 
*'  The   mother  of  God  opens  her  eyes  and  works  mira- 
cles."    The   Clergy    send    soldiers  to  guard  the  image 
which  represents  the  Virgin  ;  and  to  deceive  the  people, 
one  priest  reads  mass,  and  another  collects  money  for  the 
mother  of  God.     It  is  true  the  greatest  part  of  the  cler- 
gy said  to  me  that  this  was  only  the  fanaticism  of  the  peo- 
ple, but  why  does  the  Pope  approve  such  an  idolatrous 
fanaticism,  and  why  do  they    send  soldiers  to   the    al- 
tar of  that  image,  and  why  do  priests  collect  money  for 
the  support  of  that  image,  and  celebrate  mass  before  the 
altar  of  that  image,  to  show  respect  and  honour  to  it? 
The  Vicar-general,  in  a  printed  declaration,  approved 
the  miracles,  said  to  be  wrought  by  the  image  of  the  Virgin. 
In  the  month  of  October,  1819,  all  the  pupils  went  to 
Tivoli,  where  they  have  a  very  fine  country-house.     I 
saw  there  the  villa  of  Msecenas,  the  grotto  of  Neptune, 
the  ruins  of  the  barracks  of  the  army  of  Trajan,  and  the 
ruins  of  the  temple  of  the  Sybil ;  and   I  read  Horace's 
poetry  in  one   of  his  own  country  houses.     I  went  one 
day,  with  the  other  pupils,  to  the  church  of  the  Francis- 
can friars  of  that  town,     They  were  then  celebrating  the 
festival   of  St.  Franciscus  Assissi. — All  the  monks  of 
Rome  are  accustomed  to  preach  sermons  on  the  day  of 
their  Patriarch,  which  they    call  Panegyrica.     1  heard 
the  panegyricum  of  St.  Franciscus  of  Assissi.  composed 
by  a  Franciscan  friar!     He  enumerated  all  the  miracles 
of  St.  Franciscus,  and  all  the  pains  of  his  body,  where 
they  observed  the  five  wounds   of  Christ.     And,  after 
the  account  of  these  miracles,  and  these  wounds,  lie  said, 
"I  therefore   argue,   that   Franciscus  Assissi  has  taken 
upon  himself  the   sins  of  the  whole  world."     I  said  to 
the  pupils,  and  to  the  master  of  our  College,  after  the 
sermon   was   finished,    "This  monk    has  blasphemed 


32 

Christ;  for  Christ  bore  the  sins  of  mankind,  and  not 
Franciscus  Assissi.  He  was  a  pious  and  a  humble  man, 
but  yet  a  sinner,  who,  like  ourselves,  must  be  saved  by 
Christ." 

In  the  month  of  December,  Cardinal  Litta  ordered 
me  to  enter  the  College  of  the  Propaganda,  which  was 
then  re-established,  although  the  building  itself  was  not 
opened  until  the  eleventh  of  January,  1818.  1  left  the 
Seminario  Pontificio,  accordingly,  on  the  sixth  of  De- 
cember, and  entered  amongst  the  pupils  of  the  Propa- 
ganda, in  the  missionary  house,  called  Monte  Littorio, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Missionaries,  called  Vincenci- 
ani.  This  Missionary  order  was  established  by  Vicen- 
tio  di  Pauli,  in  France.  He  was  a  great  man,  and  a 
true  member  of  the  body  of  Christ, — he  established,  not 
only  a  Missionary  order^  but  formed  other  establish- 
ments for  the  poor.  He  was  a  friend  of  Franciscus  Sa- 
lessius,  and  of  the  celebrated  lady,  called  Madame  de 
Chautal.  Many  clergymen  of  Rome  said  to  me, — 
"  You  do  not  well  to  leave  the  learned  college  of  the 
Pope,  and  enter  amongst  the  ignorant  Vincenziana,  who 
know  little  of  scholastic  divinity."  1  was  glad  when  i 
beard  this. 

When  I  entered  that  convent,  I  put  on  the  habit  of  the 
pupils  of  the  Propaganda.  It  consists  of  a  long  black 
garment,  with  a  red  girdle,  and  five  red  buttons  are  at- 
tached to  it,  which  indicate  the  five  wounds  of  Christ; 
and  the  red  colour  is  the  symbol  of  the  danger  of  losing 
his  life,  to  which  a  Missionary  is  exposed.  I  found 
amongst  the  monks  of  that  convent,  holy  and  silent  de- 
votion, not  the  spirit  of  controversy;  and  they  read  daily, 
not  Segncri,  but  a  book  called  the  Imitation  of  Clirist, 
composed  by  Thomas  aKempis,  together  with  the  Holy 
S<riptures,  and  the  Church  History.  That  history, 
however,  speaks  with  great  freedom  of  the  tyrany  of 
Alexander  VI.  who  burnt  the  pious  Savonorala,  for 
preaching  against  that  monster  of  a  Pope,  more  fit  for 
the  leader  of  a  banditti,  than  for  a  Pope. 

I  found  also  in  that  convent,  two  Italian  Bishops,  who 
with  the  simplicity  of  Apostles,  encouraged  me  in  the 


33 

]ove  of  Christ  and  his  Gospel ;  and  I  found  two  Irish 
grntlemen  amongst  the  pupils  of  the  Propaganda,  who 
told  me  that  there  were  good  Christians  amongst  the 
Quakers,  and  the  Methodists,  and  other  denominations 
in  England.  One  of  them  observed,  as  we  walked  to- 
gether, that  all  our  works  are  nothing,  and  all  our 
knowledge  is  nothing,  but  the  merits  of  Christ  alone 
have  any  real  value ;  and  the  other  remarked,  that  the 
philosophy  of  Aristotle  had  introduced  a  bad  spirit  into 
the  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Church.  I  found  amongst 
them  also,  a  black  Mahomedan,  twenty  years  of  age, 
who  was  baptized  by  Cardinal  Litta.  He  seemed  to  lose 
himself  in  meditation  and  in  prayer.  But  my  joy  and 
pleasure  did  not  last  long;  for  all  the  pupils  were  intro- 
duced to  the  Pope  in  the  month  of  January,  and  we 
went  the  same  day  into  the  building  of  the  Propaganda, 
in  the  street  called  Piazza  di  Spagna.  The  Pope  re- 
ceived us  with  fatlierly  kindness,  and  gave  us  his  bene- 
diction ;  and  when  we  left  his  room,  one  of  his  clergy 
said  to  us,  "  You  are  the  true  soldiers  of  the  Pope  :"  to 
which  another  Prelate  replied,  "  Not  soldiers  of  the 
Pope,  but  soldiers  of  the  Church  of  Christ."  1  was 
much  delighted  with  the  answer  of  that  Prelate  5  and  we 
entered  the  Propaganda. 

A  priest  who  was  once  a  pupil  of  the  Seminary  of  the 
Pope,  where  1  was  at  first,  became  our  master  at  the 
Propaganda  ;  he  was  distinguished  by  his  great  know- 
ledge of  the  scholastic  divinity.  He  spoke  on  the  first 
day  ofour  entering,  against  St.  Cyprian,  because  he  re- 
sisted the  power  of  the  Pope.  He  said  to  us,  "  I  will 
now  introduce  the  customs  of  the  Pope's  seminary 
amongst  you.  You  must  learn  to  argue  against  here- 
tics in  syllogistical  form;  and  learn  to  distinguish  well, 
what  is  a  fidc^  and  what  \s  proocimum  ad  Jidem.^^  This 
is  a  technical  term  in  scholastic  divinity.  A  fide,  is 
every  doctrine,  the  disbelief  of  which  would  make  a  man 
a  heretic;  and  which  is  already  distinctly  so  decided 
upon  by  Popes  and  Councils; — and proxiwuin  ad fide7n^ 
is  every  doctrine  not  yet  distinctly  decided  on  by  Popes 
and  Councils,  but  remaining  as  an  opinion  of  the  theo-* 


34 

loglans,  the  disbelief  of  which  would  make  a  man  a  U- 
merarius,  though  not  a  heretic.  Amongst  the  first  is  tlie 
Infallibillity  of  the  General  Councils,  and  Transubsian- 
tiation  ;  amongst  the  second,  the  Infallibillity  of  the 
Pope,  and  theimmaculata  conceptio  beatae  Virginis  Ma- 
rise,  and  whether  Christ  died  for  all,  and  whether  the 
Pope  is  supra  conciliis,  or  concilia  supra  Papam.  1 
said  to  him  that  I  did  not  like  the  scholastic  divinity,  be- 
cause I  considered  it  as  the  disputations  of  men,  and  of 
no  great  value.  He  replied,  "You  mistake!  I  will 
prove  to  you  by  an  example,  that  scholastic  divinity  is 
necessary,  by  asking  you  a  question.  "Is  it  a  Jide,  that 
Christ  died  for  all  men  .?"  I  answered,  "Yes,  because 
I  must  believe  the  Scriptures!"  He  rejoined,  "The 
Scriptures  without  the  decision  of  the  Church,  have  not 
any  authority,  because  the  Church  and  the  Popes  are  the 
judges  of  the  lloly  Scriptures."  I  said  to  him,  "  I  want 
not  an  interpretation  of  a  Council  upon  passages  which 
are  clearly  and  distinctly  explained,"  He  answered, 
"  We  find  the  doctrine  of  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope, 
and  the  immaculata  conceptio  beatse  Virginis  Mariae, 
clearly  and  distinctly  mentioned  in  the  holy  Scriptures  : 
but  it  is  not  yet  a  dogma,  because  the  Popes  have  not 
yet  confirmed  it." 

On  another  occasion  he  remarked,  that  Jansenius 
merited  burning,  because  his  doctrines  were  heretical 
altogether — he  said  this  to  all  the  pupils.  1  replied, 
"  The  Church  has  no  power  to  burn  a  man  !"  He  ask- 
ed me,  "How  can  you  prove  this?"  1  said,  "Thou 
shalt  not  kill,  says  the  Scripture  !"  He  rejoined,  "  But 
the  shepherd  has  a  right  to  kill  a  wolf,  who  enters  the 
sheep-fold."  I  observed  to  him,  "A  man  is  not  a  wolf!'' 
"  Seventeen  Popes,  however,  have  done  it !"  he  an- 
swered. I  thereupon  rejoined,  "  Seventeen  Popes  have 
committed  a  sin  !" 

In  consequence  of  this  conversation,  I  wrote  to  Cardi- 
nal Litta,  telling  him  that  I  was  at  length  persuaded, 
from  the  principles  which  I  heard  defended  in  the  Pro- 
paganda, that  the  Protestants  o(  Germany  had  not  told 
me  falsehoods  of  the  Church  of  Rome.     The  Cardinal 


35 

came  to  me  the  following  day,  and  conversed  with  me 
for  nearly  three  hours.  He  said,  "  I  have  read  your 
letter,  and  I  cannot  deny,  that  the  Rector  spoke  non- 
sense and  absurdities ;  but  so  do  you  also  in  the  letter 
you  have  written  to  me!  You  do  not  admit  the  doc- 
trine, "  Extra  Ecclesiam  nulla  est  salus  !"  and  this  doc- 
trine is  a  fide!  A  man  who  does  not  hear  the  truth  is 
condemned  !"  "  This  I  believe,''  replied  I,  "  but  I  know 
many  good  Christians  amongst  the  Protestants."  "  For 
tliis  reason,"  added  the  Cardinal,  "  the  elder  theologi- 
ans, make  a  distinction  between  hereiici  formales  and 
materiales,  but  we  cannot.  It  is  not  permitted  us  to  ask 
God,  why  he  does  save  the  one,  and  not  tlie  other  man; 
neither  can  we  understand,  why  Christ  wrought  many 
miracles  in  one  city  and  none  in  another;  we  know  not 
why  God  commanded  St.  Paul  to  preach  the  Gospel  to 
one  particular  country,  and  not  to  another !  All  this  is 
a  mystery  for  us  !  The  Rector  told  you  the  truth  also, 
when  he  said,  it  is  ox\\y  proximum  ad  fidem,  and  not  a 
fide,  tiiat  Christ  died  for  all  men,  for  the  Church  has  not 
yet  decided  it."  I  remarked,  "  But  the  Koly  Scriptures 
tells  me  this."  IJe  said,  "  You  are  no  judge  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures, — this  is  the  great  error  of  the  Protes- 
tants:  they  believe  that  every  one  may  understand 
the  Scriptures!  But  we  must  hear  the  Popes!  It  is 
true,  that  the  moral  conduct  of  Alexander  the  Sixth  was 
very  objectionable,  and  we  do  not  deny  the  facts;  but 
his  bulls  are  very  fine,  and  they  are  according  to  the 
truth  !  You  must  consider,  that  as  yet  you  are  not  a 
doctor,  but  merely  a  disciple.  You  must  therefore  hear 
what  they  teach  you,  and  not  take  the  place  of  a  master 
and  dispute. — I  wish  you  well."  1  wept  when  he  thus 
addressed  me,  and  kissed  his  hand. 

At  this  time  it  was  that  I  formed  my  acquaintance 
with  Mr.  Drummond,  General  Macauley,  Mr.  Hallybur- 
ton.  Lord  Calthorpe,  and  another  English  gentleman, 
who  was  at  Rome,  and  came  into  the  Propaganda  to 
see  me. 

An  unfortunate  from  Chaldea,  was  in  the  Propagan- 
da,  a  man  sixty-five  years  of  age,  he  was  melancholy 


rs 


36 

and  dejected,  and  the  reason  of  it  was  this.  The  Pope 
heard  that  he  had  been  ordained  by  another  Chaldean 
Bishop,  who  dissented  from  the  Romish  Church  ;  and 
the  Pope  therefore  commanded  him  to  come  to  Rome  to 
justify  himself,  at  the  throne  of  the  Holy  See  !  The 
poor  Bishop  of  Chaldea  obeyed  ;  and  sixteen  years  ago 
he  came  to  Rome,  ever  since  which  he  has  remained  in 
the  Propaganda  as  a  poor  man,  and  quite  disregarded ; 
without  having  ever  obtained  permission  to  go  before 
the  Pope,  or  to  be  examined  with  respect  to  the  manner 
of  his  ordination  !  This  poor  Bishop  frequently  pre- 
sented the  testimonials  of  physicians  to  the  Cardinals, 
declaring  that  he  was  unable  to  bear  the  climate  of 
Rome,  and  that  therefore  it  v,as  necessary  for  him  to 
return  soon  to  his  own  country.  But  the  Cardinals 
would  not  grant  him  permission,  because  in  his  oriental 
simplicity,  he  once  said  to  them,  that  he  had  much  con- 
fidence in  the  Patriarch  of  the  Nestorians,  in  Chaldea. 
The  Cardinals,  therefore,  were  afraid  that  he  would 
unite  himself  with  that  Nestorian  Patriarch,  and  endea- 
voured, therefore,  to  retain  him  at  Rome,  where  he 
suffers  much,  and  languishes.  I  was  one  day  in  good 
spirits,  and  laughed  very  loud  about  a  certain  occur- 
rence, when  the  poor  Chaldean  Bishop  began  to  weep, 
and  said  the  following  words  to  me  :  "  You  laugh  now, 
but  it  will  come  to  pass,  that  you  will  fall  into  the  clut- 
ches of  the  Cardinals,  and  then  you  will  weep  blood." 

In  a  letter  which  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Bunsen,  I  acquainted 
him  with  the  last  mentioned  occurrence,  and  added  :  "  I 
will  go  to  the  East,  and  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
but  I  will  be  always  the  enemy  of  this  antichristian  ty- 
rany  of  Rome.  I  will  preach  the  pure  doctrine  of 
Christ,  without  adulterating  it  with  Popery."  This  let- 
ter came  into  the  hands  of  the  Inquisition,  as  did  also, 
some  of  my  other  letters  which  1  wrote  to  different 
friends,  entreating  them  to  assist  Mr.  Taunucaso,  an 
eastern  gentleman  of  the  Propaganda,  who  was  endea- 
vouring to  translate  the  Bible  into  his  native  language. 
The  Inquisition  opened  likewise  the  letters  which  my 
English  and  German  friends  wrote  to  me  j  and  my 


37 

German  Iriends,  who  were  at  Rome,  learnt  that  I  was  in 
great  danger,  and  they  recommended  me  to  the  Prince 
of  Bavaria,  who  was  at  that  time  at  Rome,  and  who 
wrote  npon  the  occasion  to  his  father,  the  King  of  Ba- 
varia, and  assured  me  that  lie  would  protect  me.  But 
the  same  day  that  the  Prince  of  Bavaria  left  Rome,  for 
Naples,  Cardinal  Litta  sent  for  me. — 1  entered  his  room, 
and  he  said  to  me,  "  We  are  informed  of  the  correspon- 
dence which  you  still  maintain,  notwithstanding  I  have 
warned  you  several  times.  We  know,  by  that  corres- 
pondence, your  sentiments  and  your  manner  of  think- 
ing. These  are  entirely  opposite  to  the  Pope's,  and  if 
you  should  stay  any  longer  in  the  Propaganda,  you 
would  taint  your  companions  with  your  sentiments. 
You  must  therefore,  by  express  command  of  the  holy  fa- 
ther, reniain  a  prisoner  till  you  leave  Rome,  and  return 
to  Vienna."  Hereupon  I  was  compelled  to  stay  three 
hours  in  the  house  of  an  advocate  of  the  Inquisition, 
where  I  was  watched  by  a  little  dwarf,  (without  having 
permission  to  see  any  of  my  friends,^  till  the  post  coach 
came  to  the  door,  about  twelve  o'clock  at  night.  A  dis- 
guised soldier  was  my  companion  as  far  as  Bologna, 
and  from  thence  I  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Cardinal  Litta, 
complaining  that  I  had  been  condemned  without  his  hav- 
ing examined  me. 

Cardinal  Lant,  the  Governor  of  Bologna,  was  order- 
ed to  receive  me  with  all  kindness,  and  to  give  me  a 
companion  to  Vienna.  He  gave  me  a  physician,  whose 
anxiety  to  know  my  internal  sentiments  shewed  me  that 
he  was  a  member,  or  a  spy  of  the  Inquisition.  Having 
arrived  at  Vienna,  I  delivered  the  letters  which  Cardinal 
Litta  gave  me  for  the  Pope's  Ambassador  at  Vienna,  and 
I  said  to  him  that  I  would  take  refuge  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  Austrian  Government,  if  they  would  not  give 
me  my  liberty.  But  I  promised  him  never  to  seek  ven- 
geance, and  I  said  that  I  would  act  conscientiously  and 
with  freedom.  He  seemed  satisfied  with  my  declara- 
tion, and  having  been  informed,  before  my  arrival  at 
V^ieuna,   of  the  particulars  of  my  correspondence,   he 

4 


38 

gave  me  full  account  thereof,   and  delivered  me  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  Cardinal  Litta. 

"  Dear  Wolf, 
•'  The  letter,  which  you  have  written  to  me  from  Bo- 
loc:na,  although  it  has  made  more  poignant  tliat  sorrow, 
which  1  have  ever  felt  from  the  moment  that  I  was  obli- 
ged to  take  the  resolution  of  sending  you  away  from 
Kome,  gives  me,  nevertheless,  some  ground  for  consola- 
tion, since  you  assure  me,  that  you  will  ever  love  the 
holy  Catholic  Church.  I  fear,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
in  your  understanding,  and  perhaps  in  your  heart,  you 
make  a  distinction  between  the  Catholic  Church  and  its 
head,  who  is  the  Pope.  But  J  flatter  myself,  that  in  fu- 
ture your  sentiments  may  be  more  sincere  than  they  have 
been  in  times  past.  I  myself  warned  you  personally, 
and  through  the  medium  of  Ostini,  many  times,  to  break 
ofl'your  dangerous  correspondences;  you  did  not  obey 
me  ;  and  having  had  more  confidence  in  some  pretended 
friends,  than  in  persons  who  sincerely  wished  and  acted 
well  towards  you,  you  manifestt^d,  even  without  re- 
straint, your  opinions  and  intentions.  From  this  it  was 
seen  clearly,  that  instead  of  being  grateful  and  attached 
to  that  See  of  Rome  which  nourished  you,  and  which  is 
the  true  centre  and  mistress  of  the  universal  Church, 
you  cherished,  on  the  contrary,  sentiments  of  aversion, 
nay  even  of  horror,  for  this  good  motiier  :  that  secretly 
you  were  beginning  to  be  in  a  disposition  to  render  of 
no  avail  the  cares  of  the  Propaganda,  by  proposing  to 
yourself,  ifsent  to  the  East,  objects  and  purposes  totally 
different  from  those  which  the  Holy  College  has  in  view. 
With  such  ser»timents  you  w  ould  have  corrupted  your 
companions,  brought  up  in  true  obedience  and  attach- 
ment to  the  Holy  See.  In  consequence  of  these  things, 
which  I  stated  before  announcing  to  you  your  depar- 
ture, and  which  you  could  not,  nor  can  now  deny,  it 
became  necessary  to  remove  you  from  the  College  of 
Pope  Urban.  Nevertheless,  even  in  this  case,  it  was 
proposed  to  retain  you  some  time  longer  at  Rome,  in 
consideration  of  that  countenance  and  support,  which 


39 

you,  conscious,  perhaps,  of  the  danger  to  which  3'our 
practices  exposed  3011,  contrived  to  procure  for  yourself. 
You,  who  judge  me  capable  of  punishing  without  a  just 
motive,  and  without  forewarning,  or  listening  to  rea- 
son, will  not  believe  me  if  I  tell  3'ou,  that  this  resolution, 
to  which  I  was  unavoidably  led,  has  given  me  the  great- 
est pain  ;  but  God  knows  how  much  I  have  suffered, 
and  how  much  1  still  suffer  !  I  never  supposed  you  to 
be  a  member  of  the  Bible  Society,  in  which  there  is  no 
wonder,  tiiat  many  good  persons  have  unawares  enroll- 
ed themselves,  because  the  venerable  name  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  which  are  the  writing  and  the  word  of  God, 
naturally  must  attract  minds  zealous  for  the  divine  glo- 
ry, and  the  salvation  of  their  neighbours.  But  it  is 
precisely  of  the  most  excellent  things  that  the  greatest 
abuse  is  made.  I  hope,  however,  in  the  mercy  of  the 
Lord,  and  in  his  omnipotence  and  infinite  wisdom,  that 
he  will  bring  good  out  of  evil,  as  he  has  brought  forth 
light  from  darkness,  and  the  creature  from  nothing. 
But  without  a  special  aid,  which  we  ought  to  hope  for 
from  God,  towards  his  Church,  certain  it  is,  that  the  en- 
terprise of  translating  the  Holy  Scriptures  into  all  lan- 
guages, even  the  lowest  and  the  most  barbarous,  and  of 
multiplying  and  pouring  forth  copies  of  it,  in  order  to 
give  them  into  the  hands  of  all  persons,  even  the  most 
stupid  and  rash,  without  the  aid  of  any  thing  to  explain 
the  obscure  meanings  of  it,  and  to  solve  those  great  dif- 
ficulties, which  were  obstacles  even  to  the  acute  and 
sublime  understandings  of  the  Augustines  and  Jeromes, 
cannot  be  denied  to  be  a  most  dangerous  thing,  as 
opening  the  way  to  a  thousand  errors,  which  has  been 
shewn  before  now,  in  the  examples  of  the  heretics,  and 
as  is  seen  more  clearl}',  in  the  present  day,  b}^  the  more 
monstrous  absurdities  of  the  Methodists,  and  the  other 
innumerable  sects,  who  think  that  they  see  in  the  word 
of  God  their  own  ravings.  What  must  one  say,  more- 
over, if,  in  the  regulations  of  this  Society,  it  is  laid  down 
as  a  fundamental  point,  that  the  most  authentic  version, 
must  be  the  English,  which  has  been  convicted  by  our 
Irish  Bishops,  and  Ji^nglish  Vicars,  of  many  errors,  made 


40 

by  the  pretended  Reformers  ?  What  if,  even  among 
the  German  versions,  there  are  adopted  fault}'  and  cor- 
rupt ones,  as  that  of  Luther,  so  much  the  more  seducing 
than  the  others,  from  the  purity  and  elegance  of  its  lan- 
guage ?  The  Holy  Roman  Catholic  Apostolic  Church, 
does  not  shut  up  the  heavenly  treasure  of  the  divine 
Scriptures,  as  some  calumniate  it,  under  the  title  of  the 
Court  of  Rome,  of  which  title  I  am  not  ashamed,  but 
even  boast,  and  ever  have  boasted  ;  even  amongst  the 
disgraces  of  our  exile  professing  myself  to  be  a  member 
of  the  court  of  Rome,  and  on  that  very  account  more 
united  to  the  centre  of  unity,  and  to  the  sovereign  See, 
the  depository  of  the  doctrine  and  power  of  Jesus  Christ. 
This  See  of  Rome,  to  which  error  cannot  have  access, 
as  the  experience  of  so  many  ages  demonstrates,  in  as 
much  as  her  faith  is  made  sure,  by  the  never  failing  pro- 
mises of  Jesus  Christ, — this  See,  which  teaches  to  all  the 
truth  of  the  faith,  has  prescribed  the  rules  and  the  cau- 
tions with  which  any  one,  who  remains  attached  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  fathers,  and  to  the  interpretation  of  the 
Church,  ought  to  treat  with  great  respect  and  trembling 
this  precious  gift  of  God,  and  not  surely  to  profane  it 
rashly,  and  to  abandon  it,  as  it  were  a  vile  and  trivial 
thing,  into  the  hands  of  idiots  and  impure  persons.  Our 
holy  father,  Pius  the  Seventh  himself,  has,  in  his  briefs, 
spoken  against  such  an  abuse.  But  enough  of  this  ar- 
gument. I  send  you  a  letter  for  Hofbauer.  Profit  by 
this  disgrace,  which  you  owe  to  yourself,  for  not  having 
obeyed  that  which  I  ordered  you,  through  the  medium 
of  Ostini.  I  am  not  angry  with  you,  although  my  duty 
has  obliged  me  to  take  a  resolution  which  has  given  me 
great  pain.  I  wish  to  help  you  in  any  other  way,  and 
you  can  write  me  with  freedom.  1  pray  God  that  he 
will  preserve  you  from  evil  companions,  and  perfect  in 
you  that  great  gift,  which  he  has  bestowed  upon  you,  in 
calling  you  to  the  faith. 

Your  most  afiectionate, 

Laurence  Cardinal  Litta. 
P.  S.  By  the  first  opportunity,  your  books  and  som^ 
others,  will  be  sent  to  you  from  the  Propaganda." 


41 

I  was  in  the  most  melancholy  frame  of  mind,  when  I 
arrived    at   Vienna. — The    recollection    of  being   sent 
away  from  my  pious  German  friends  at  Rome,  without 
having  been  able  to  embrace  them    before  my  depart- 
ure— that  1   had    been  banished   by  Pius  the  Seventh, 
whose  private  piety  I  respected,    and  whom  I   did   like 
very  much, — that  I   had  been  separated  from  a  visible 
church,  and  condemned  by  its  Bishop, — the  idea,  that  I 
should  now  become  an  object  of  persecution, — and  the 
experience,  that  many  of  my  German  Catholic  friends, 
who  had  accorded  with  my  sentiments  against  the  Pope, 
now  began  to  fear  the  Pope's  power,  and  to  turn  away 
from  me — all  these  things  stood  clear  before  my  mind, 
as  well  as  the  probability  that  my  career  was  now  stop- 
ped, and  that  1  should  never  be  able  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel  to    my  brethren.     Considering  all  these   things,   I 
wrote   a    letter  to   P.    Hofbauer,   Vicar-general  of  the 
Ligorians,  whom  I  had  always  regarded  as  a  pious  char- 
acter.    P.  Hofbauer,  having  been  informed  of  my  ban- 
ishment, and  the  reason  of  it,  before  he  received  my  let- 
ter,   came  to  see  me  in  my  lodgings,  and  conducted  me 
to  his  own  house.     On  the  first  day  he  seemed  to  me  to 
be  very  much  irritated  against  the  Court  of  Rome,  but 
in  three  days  he  changed    his   tone,   and  said   to   me, 
"  Rome    is,    notwithstanding,   mistress  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  and  the  Pope,    the  true  successor  of  St.  Peter. 
Rome  was  tlie  only  Church  which   believed  in  the  true 
divinity  of  Chri>t  in  the  time  of  the  Arians,    and  you 
have  not  done  well  in  disclosing  the  shame  of  the  uni- 
versal mother." 

T  was  surrounded  in  a  short  time  by  followers  of 
Schlegel,  wlio  asked  me  if  I  did  not  know  the  sad  con- 
dition of  the  German  Catholics  who  denied  the  authori- 
ty of  the  Pope.  The  fact  was,  that  many  Catholics  of 
Germany,  who  were  adversaries  of  the  Pope,  became 
afterwards  Socinians,  or  embraced  an  allegorical  sys- 
tem of  Christianity.  They  adulterated  the  Gospel  with 
the  philosophy  of  Kant,  Hume,  Jacob  Behmen,  Plato, 
and  Shaftesbury.  After  the  few  days  which  1  passed 
with  Hofbauer  and  his  friends,  I  became  very  melan- 

4* 


42 

choly.  I  had  expected  to  find  in  Hofbauer,  and" 
amongst  his  penitents  who  were  attached  to  the  Pope,  a 
certain  zeal  for  Christ ;  and  to  have  found  the  same  also 
amongst  the  other  Catholic  clergymen  of  Vienna,  and 
especially  amongst  tlie  monks  of  Austria  who  were  op- 
posed to  th  Pope.  I  found,  however,  not  only  a  great 
lukewarmness,  but  likewise  great  immorality.  I  there- 
fore entreated  P.  Hofbauer  to  send  me  to  his  convent  at 
Valsainte  in  Switzerland,  that  1  might  end  my  days  there. 
He  pretended  that  he  was  not  inclined  to  incorporate 
me  into  his  order  ;  but  as  often  as  I  said  I  wuuld  leave 
Vienna  and  go  to  another  convent,  he  refused  to  permit 
me  to  go.  I  was  treated  by  him  and  his  followers,  for 
more  than  seven  months,  in  a  very  harsh  manner,  and  I 
was  obliged  every  day  to  hear  censures  of  my  conduct 
at  Rome.  I  excused  this  in  Hofbauer,  as  he  was  a  man 
of  an  ardent  temperament ;  and  I  thought  I  must  now 
suffer,  because  I  had  been  too  violent,  and  that  I  ought 
to  be  reconciled  with  the  Pope.  1  began  to  hate  Sepa- 
ratism. It  is  true  that  I  suspected  the  intolerance  of 
Hofbauer  and  his  club,  against  all  who  were  of  differ- 
ent opinions  and  sentiments. 

The  followers  of  Hofbauer  and  Schlegel  find  fault 
with  Rome  on  account  of  her  mildness  towards  those 
who  dissent  from  the  Romish  church  government :  and 
my  time  of  independent  thinking  was  passed,  and  the 
prophecy  of  the  German  painter  was  about  to  be  accom- 
plished, that  I  should  at  length  embrace  all  the  abuses 
of  the  Romish  church  which  I  had  hated  so  long,  and 
against  which  1  had  protested  with  such  violence  :  but 
the  Lord  permitted  this,  that  1  might  experience  and 
taste  self-righteousness,  and  then  I  found  that  the  way 
of  self-righteousness  is  an  abomination  unto  God,  and 
that  it  leads  to  desperation,  to  uuquietude  of  heart,  to 
sorrow,  and  to  the  abominable  system  of  Jesuitism. 

I  saw  no  more  of  that  lady  who  came  to  Hofbauer 
when  I  was  before  at  Vienna.  They  told  me  she  esca- 
ped with  a  great  sum  of  money  from  the  house  of  her 
parents,  and  nobody,  neitiier  Hofbauer  nor  any  one  of 
his  fraternity,  knew  where  she  was.     I  was  told,   that 


43 

the  Bohemian  Baron  was  at  Bucharest,  where  Hofbauer 
had  established  a  convent  of  his  order,  and  had  sent  the 
Baron,  who  was  a  member  of  his  order,  as  master  of  the 
establishment.  Hofbauer  sent  with  him,  likewise,  some 
Austrian  young  gentlemen,  whom  he  persuaded  that 
his  convent  was  the  most  easy  of  any,  as  a  road  to 
heaven.  The  Bohemian  Baron  took  a  passport  from 
the  police  at  Vienna  for  Hermanstadt  in  Transylvania, 
from  whence  he  escaped  to  Bucharest;  and  when  he 
returned  afterwards  to  Vienna,  on  the  business  of  the 
convent,  he  came  under  the  name  and  address  of  an 
Armenian  gentleman,  and  did  not  go  himself  to  the 
police  to  sign  his  passport,  but  the  Pope's  Ambassador 
sent  it  to  the  police  by  his  servant.  With  respect  of  the 
lady,  I  could  hear  nothing  of  her  at  Vienna. 

I  must  mention  here  another  circumstance,  which  will 
aflbrd,  perhaps,  more  light  as  to  the  spirit  of  Jesuitism 
and  the  tyranny  of  Popery.  P.  Johann  Sabelli,  one  o. 
the  fraternity  of  Hofbauer,  and  his  secretary,  was  de- 
sirous of  entering  into  the  convent  Valsainte,  or  some 
other  which  was  under  Hofbauer  ;  but  Hofbauer  refus- 
ed him  permission,  and  without  such  permission  he  could 
by  no  means  go  according  to  his  vow  of  blind  obedi- 
ence to  the  superior.  Sabelli  wrote  therefore  to  the 
Pope.  One  evening  when  I  was  at  Hofbauer's,  the 
auditor  of  the  Pope's  Ambassador  came  to  him,  and  in 
his  presence  delivered  to  Sabelli  a  letter  from  the  gene- 
ral of  the  Ligorians  who  resides  at  Rome,  and  another 
from  the  Pope  himself  to  Sabelli  ;  and  the  auditor  said 
to  Hofbauer,  that  it  was  the  express  command  of  the 
Pope  that  Sabelli  should  enter  a  convent  of  the  Ligori- 
ans at  Rome.  Hofbauer  was  very  angry.  He  said 
they  were  all  tyrants  at  Rome.  At  length  the  auditor 
of  the  Ambassador  and  Sabelli  agreed  with  Hofbauer, 
that  if  he  would  not  object  to  Sabelli  going  to  the  con- 
vent at  Valsainte  in  Switzerland,  the  Pope  should  be 
satisfied — and  it  was  then  also  agreed  with  Hofbauer, 
that  1  should  go  with  Sabelli  to  Valsainte.  I  could  not 
help  saying  to  a  member  of  the  order,  that  I  was  aston- 
ished at  hearing  Hofbauer  speak  so  strongly  against 


44 

ihe  Pope  in  the  presence  of  an  agent  of  the  Pope;  and 
the  Ligorian  answered  me,  "  We  may  speak  against 
the  Pope  in  his  presence  as  much  as  we  please  without 
falling  into  disgrace  with  him,  but  it  is  only  persons  of 
our  character  who  have  this  privilege. 

As  Sabelli  did  not  receive  his  passport  so  soon  as  my- 
self, I  went  before  him  to  Valsainte,  where  I  arrived 
Dec.  1818,  being  then  twenty-three  years  of  age.  1  saw 
by  experience  in  this  convent,  that  external  piety  might 
be  united  with  internal  iniquity.  The  convent  is  situa- 
ted in  a  valley  at  a  distance  from  any  town,  and  before 
the  Ligorians  possessed  it,  it  was  the  convent  of  the 
Trappists.  The  habit  which  I  wore  here  was  a  black 
rough  garment,  to  which  a  long  chaplet  of  the  Virgin 
Mary  is  attached  ;  shoes  without  buckles,  and  a  large 
hat!  The  Rector  of  the  convent  seemed,  to  all  outward 
appearance,  to  have  subdued  the  corrupt  passions  of 
human  nature;  he  never  shewed  anger,  or  appeared  to 
be  offended ;  his  voice  was  soft  and  gentle,  and  he  was 
one  of  the  most  eloquent  of  the  French  preachers. — 
The  duty  of  the  individuals  of  the  convent  was,  to  in- 
struct the  poor,  and  preach  in  the  different  towns,  and 
to  go  as  missionaries  when  sent  by  the  Superior,  whose 
will  they  are  taught  to  consider  as  the  w  ill  of  the  Al- 
mighty. Every  one  is  obliged,  after  that  he  has  been 
a  year  in  the  convent,  to  take  the  voiam  castitadSf  abe- 
dientice,  paupertatis;  and  votum  perseverantiae.  They 
rise  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  go  into  chapel, 
and  read  a  meditation,  taken  sometimes  from  Thomas 
a  Kempis,  or  Rodrigo,  and  sometimes  from  Segneri! 
After  that  they  hear  mass,  and  then  instruct  the  students, 
who  are  sent  to  the  convent  from  Freybourg  and  Al- 
sace, whom  they  frequently  engage  to  become  members 
of  their  convent,  especially  when  they  are  rich,  and 
then  they  are  not  permitted  to  return  to  their  parents  any 
more,  because  Christ  said.  Whoso  putteth  his  hand  to 
the  plough  and  looketh  back,  is  not  fit  for  the  kingdom 
of  God.  They  did  so  with  two  young  gentlemen  of 
Alsace,  who  were  only  fifteen  years  of  age.  And  when 
these  young  persons  manifested  their  desire  to  see  their 


45 

parents  only  once  more,  the  Rector  replied,  that  it  was 
a  temptation  of  the  devil.  In  the  summer,  the  monks 
go  into  the  fields  to  cut  grass,  with  a  view  to  set  an  ex- 
ample of  humility,  and  of  the  virtue  of  poverty;  and 
every  one  is  obliged  to  whip  himself  with  a  scourge, 
reciting,  together  with  the  fiftieth  Psalm,  "  Salve  Regi- 
na,  mater  misericordia?,  vita,  dulcedo,  et  spes  nostra  ! 
Salve  !  Ad  te  clamamus  exules  filii  Heva? !  Ad  te  sus- 
piramus,  gementes,  et  flentes  in  hac  lacrymarum  valle. 
Eja  ergo,  advocata  nostra,  illos  tuos  misericordes  oculos 
ad  nos  converte,  et  Jesum  benedictum  fructum  ventris 
tui,  nobis  post  hoc  exilium,  ostende,  O  clemens,   O  pia, 

0  dulcis  virgo  Maria !" — I  tried  once  only  to  do  it  but 

1  could  not,  and  the  Rector  thereupon  dispensed 
with  it. 

When  I  had  been  here  but  a  few  days,  the  Rector  be- 
gan to  examine  me  in  a  very  Jesuitical  way.  He  came 
into  my  room  with  great  indilference,  and  asked  me, 
with  a  laughing  mien,  •'  Have  yon  not  discovered  any 
Jewish  inclinations  ^ince  your  baptism  f  did  you  never 
agree  with  Protestants  in  sentiment  .^"  I  answered  him 
simply,  that  1  wondered  he  could  ask  me  these  things 
with  such  a  levity  of  manner  :  and  then  he  did  not  ven- 
ture to  put  any  more  questions  to  me.  The  same  Rec- 
tor commanded  me  to  write  to  some  of  my  old  Pro- 
testant friends  to  remit  me  money,  that  T  might  give  it 
to  the  convent.  The  law  prohibits  theLigorians  from  hav- 
ing more  than  eleven  of  their  body  in  this  Canton, but  they 
had  more  than  twenty,  though  not  all  under  the  public 
name  of  Ligorians,  but  as  teachers  and  secular  cler- 
gymen. I  met  there  with  a  Ligorian,  who  came  from 
Vienna  to  Freybourg,  without  a  passport.  The  soldier 
who  watched  the  town-gates  of  Freybourg  asked  him  : 
"  Do  you  belong  to  this  city,  or  are  you  a  stranger.^" 
He  said  within  himself,  I  intend  to  belong  to  the  convent 
at  Valsainte  which  is  under  the  dominion  of  Freybourg, 
and  he  answered  under  this  system  of  mental  reserva- 
tion,— "  I  belong  to  Freybourg."  An  insatiable  covet- 
ousness  was  exhibited  here,  such  as  1  never  saw  before. 
Two  Protestants  without  property  came  there  to  turn 


16 

Catholic^.  As  soon  as  the  Rector  discovered  that  they 
were  poor,  he  advised  them  to  go  to  the  Capuchin 
monks.  But  when  a  rich  citizen  of  Bern  came  to  Val- 
sainte,  not  with  the  intention  of  becoming  a  Catholic, 
])ut  only  to  lodge  there  one  night,  the  Rector,  as  well 
as  the  others,  endeavoured  with  great  anxiety,  to  prove 
to  him,  that  he  could  not  be  saved  out  of  tlie  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  I  was  obliged  to  write  Italian  let- 
ters to  Rome  and  Naples,  to  procure  them  money  for 
saying  mass.  The}'  told  me  that  this  is  authorized  by 
Scripture,  for  St.  Paul  says,  He  who  serves  the  altar 
shall  live  of  the  altar.  One  day  a  father  of  the  con- 
vent said,  "  I  will  shew  you,  my  brethren,  the  effects  of 
my  mission  !"  and  he  then  produced  some  golden  ear- 
rings which  he  had  procured  for  the  convent,  saying, 
that  a  woman  whom  he  persuaded  of  the  vanity  of  this 
world,  and  that  many  went  to  hell  on  account  of  their 
extravagance  in  dress,  had  given  them  to  him.  The 
whole  convent  rejoiced  at  this  fruit  of  his  mission. 

After  I  had  been  two  months  in  the  convent,  the  above 
mentioned  P.  Sabelli  came  from  Vienna  to  Valsainte, 
and  supposing  I  had  now  entirely  given  up  the  idea  ofre- 
turning  to  liberty,  in  consequence  of  ray  banishment 
from  Rome,  he  began  to  initiate  me  more  and  more  in- 
to their  system.  They  say,  Christ  requires  prudence, 
as  appears  by  the  following  passage  :  "Behold  1  send 
you  forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves :  be  ye 
therefore  wise  as  serpents,  and  harmless  as  doves."  Act- 
ing, as  they  said,  on  this  precept,  when  of  the  fraterni- 
ty wanted  a  passport  and  could  not  obtain  it,  another 
wrote  one  for  him,  imitating  the  writing  of  a  director 
of  the  police,  and  it  was  so  good  an  imitation,  that  the 
Police  of  the  towns  through  which  he  passed  acknowl- 
edged and  subscribed  it. 

After  this,  Sabelli  told  S — ,  that  the  Police  of  Vien- 
na had  found  out  the  place  were  Rosalia  resided,  and 
that  she  was  brought  back  again,  but  by  the  grace  of 
God  she  confessed  nothing.  This  is  the  lady  that  es- 
caped from  Vienna,  as  before  mentioned.  The  fact  is 
this,  Hofbauer  intended  to  establish  a  female  school  in 


47 

Bucharest,  for  the  instruction  of  the  schismatic  Greeks, 
and  for  their  conversion  to  the  Romish  Church. 

Lady  RosaHa,  who  was  completely  duped  by  him, 
brought  her  pearls  to  him,  and  he  procured  tor  her 
journey  to  Bucharest  250  crowns,  she  gave  the  half  of 
it  to  P.  Hofbauer  :  and  Hofbauer  commanded  his  Sec- 
retary, to  write  to  the  Rector  of  the  Ligorians  in  Bu- 
charest, that  he  might  now  establish  the  school,  as  Ro- 
salia would  soon  arrive.  S —  assisted  her  in  escaping 
from  Vienna :  and  S —  and  Rosalia,  who  well  knew 
that  the  police  of  Vienna,  and  her  rich  parents,  and  the 
Bishop,  would  examine  him  as  to  where  she  was,  and 
u  hat  she  had  said,  agreed  together,  that  she  should  tell 
him  nothing,  but  only  confide  in  him.  S —  engaged  a 
ship  to  carry  her  to  Presberg;  as  she  was  conveying 
her  clothes  trom  home,  her  sister  observed  it,  and  asked 
her  what  she  was  doing ;  she  answered,  I  am  going  to 
make  a  present  of  them  to  a  poor  nun — she  calling  her- 
self in  her  own  mind  that  poor  nun,  that  she  might  not 
tell  a  lie. 

Hofbauer  gave  her  the  benediction,  and  she  escaped  by 
means  of  the  ship  provided  for  her,  changing  her  name, 
and  S — accompanied  her  to  the  ship ;  and  one  hour  af- 
ter her  escape,  her  parents  perceiving  she  was  gone, 
went  to  Hofbauer,  S — ,  and  Sabelli,  and  asked  them 
whether  they  knew  where  their  daughter  was;  and  they 
said,  "  We  do  not  know,"  meaning,  we  do  not  know 
where  she  is  at  this  moment.  Her  aged  parents,  her 
brother,  and  her  sister,  kneeled  down,  and  said.  We  do 
not  wish  her  to  return,  but  only  wish  to  know  w  here 
she  is,  and  whether  she  told  you  any  thing;  and  they 
answered,  "  She  told  us  nothing  !" 

S —  confessed  himself,  when  he  related  this  history, 
that  he  was  much  njoved  by  the  lamentation  of  her  pa- 
rents, but  still  he  did  not  confess  any  thing.  The  news 
of  her  escape  quickly  spread  through  Vienna,  and  one 
Priest  thought  he  saw  her  in  the  street,  another  heard 
that  she  was  gone  to  Rome,  and  S —  and  Sabelli  made 
use  of  these  reports,  when  they  were  examined  by  the 
consistory  of  Vienna.     Hofbauer  instead  of  answering 


48 

when  questioned  on  this  subject,  began  to  preach  to  the 
magistrate  about  justice,  and  all  he  would  say  was,  "  I 
don't  know  !" 

Twizan,  (director  of  the  consistory  of  Vienna,  said 
to  P.  Sabelli,  "  Did  Rosalia  never  tell  you  that  she 
would  escape?"  Sabelli  answered,  "Yes,  and  she  said 
so  likewise  to  her  parents."  For  Rosalia  indeed  said 
so  very  often,  but  in  a  way,  that  they  all  thought  she 
was  not  in  earnest.  Sabelli  availed  himself  of  this  to 
deceive  the  consistory.  Twizan  asked,  "  Do  you  know 
where  she  is  now  .?"  Sabelli  answered  again,  "  Yes, 
she  is  in  Vienna,  for  a  priest  called  Job  saw  her."  When 
he  was  asked  at  another  tin)e  by  the  consistory  about 
iier,  he  said  again,  "I  know  where  she  is  now."  And 
being  desired  to  name  the  place,  he  said,  *'  At  Rome." 

S —  escaped  afterwards  to  Valsainte,  and  in  the  hour 
of  recreation,  related  the  circumstances.  I  felt  grieved, 
and  I  found  that  1  was  in  dangerous  society.  1  said  to 
S — ,  "  You  told  an  untruth  in  this."  He  said,  "  No, 
for  I  asked  my  confesssor  upon  the  point,  and  he  said 
that  I  was  sincere,  and  that  he  should  have  said  the  same, 
which  was  impossible  had  it  been  an  untruth,"  Hof- 
bauer  was  S — 's  confessor,  and  thus  we  can  form  a 
judgment  as  to  his  principles.  When  Rosalia  was  dis- 
covered and  brought  to  Vienna,  she  went  to  Hofbauer 
and  said,  that  she  would  only  confess  to  the  Police,  that 
she  received  money  through  a  knight  of  Malta,  a  friend 
of  Hofbauer,  which  would  be  of  no  consequence.  Sa- 
belli said  to  her,  "  You  can  do  so"  and  he  went  there- 
fore, at  twelve  o'clock  at  night,  to  C.  D.  and  inform- 
ed him  about  this,  who  said,  "  I  fear  nothing  on  this 
account,  because  I  may  give  my  money  to  whom  I 
please." 

I  detest  the  spirit  of  Voltaire,  Diderot,  Rousseau,  be- 
cause they  have  blasphemed  Christ,  who  is  God  over 
all,  blessed  for  ever;  yet  must  I  agree  with  them  in 
what  they  have  written  against  many  who  are  called 
ministers  of  Christ,  especially  with  what  they  have  said 
against  Jesuits  and  monks. 

My  health  was  not  good  from  the  first  moment  that  I 


49 

received  the  religious  habit ;  the  desire  of  reading  the 
Scriptures  returned,  and  in  five  montlis  I  read  the  whole 
of  the  word  of  God,  for  the  first  time  in  Latin,  notwith- 
standing all  the  obstacles  which  they  opposed  to  me. 
The  Rector  said  to  me,  ^'  God  w  ill  surely  condemn  you 
for  your  obstinate  reading  of  the  Scriptures;  for  Chris- 
tian virtue  consists  in  obedience  to  superiors,  *  to  obey 
is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than  the  fat  of 
rams  ;  for  rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft,  and  stub- 
bornness is  as  iniquity  and  idolatry.'  "  1  was  so  af- 
flicted, that  I  could  neither  eat,  drink,  or  sleep;  an  in- 
ternal voice  said  to  me  without  ceasing,  "  Leave  this 
convent,  and  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ  to  your  bre- 
thren." I  made  known  my  distressed  situation  to  the 
Rector,  and  requested  him  to  dismiss  me,  that  I  might 
enter  another  convent.  The  Rector  said  that  was  a 
temptation  of  the  devil,  and  told  me  to  go  into  the 
church,  and  pray  with  devotion,  "  Pater  Noster"  for 
half  an  hour.  I  obeyed,  but  I  was  more  uneasy  than 
before.  1  thought  1  would  endeavour  to  dispel  my  me- 
lancholy by  doing  good  to  others,  and  therefore  I  em- 
ployed seven  hours  dady  in  teaching  the  students  Latin, 
Greek,  and  German;  but  in  the  midst  of  my  teaching, 
the  desire  of  preaching  the  Gospel,  not  only  to  my  bre- 
thren, but  likewise  to  tlie  Mahomedans,  kept  possession 
of  my  heart,  and  drops  of  sweat  from  anguish  fell  from 
my  face,  so  that  all  my  pupils  observed  it.  I  wrote  to 
the  Bishop  of  Freybourg,  tliat  notwithstanding  all  the 
regard  I  owed  to  the  Ligorian  order,  I  was  not  happy 
in  their  society,  and  that  I  would  therefore  enter  a  con- 
vent of  the  Capuchin  order.  He  wrote  me  for  answer 
that  I  should  speak  upon  that  subject  to  the  Rector. 

The  study  of  the  Casuistic  Divinity,  from  the  many 
contradictions  about  the  doctrine  of  Tran-substantia- 
tion,  confession  of  every  sin  to  the  Priest,  and  of  tradi- 
tions, convinced  me  of  the  folly  of  respecting  it.  1  saw 
there,  in  practice,  that  self-righteousness  produces  abo- 
minable pride.  Oftentimes  a  member  of  that  convent 
would  shew  me  his  whip  coloured  with  blood. 


50 

The  Rector  called  one  clay  for  a  pupil  of  mine  and 
examined  him  about  my  sentiments ;  he  asked  him,  whe- 
ther I  never  showed  any  inclination  to  the  Jews  ? — 
The  pupil  told  me  this  again,  because  the  Rector  for- 
got to  prohibit  him,  and  to  desire  him  to  tell  me  nothing. 
1  thus  understood  my  dangerous  situation,  and  went 
therefore  to  the  Rector,  and  said  t )  him,  "  Why  do  you 
ask  such  things  of  my  pupils?''  He  was  \ery  much  sur- 
prised, and  said,"  I  have  not  any  distrust  of  you,  but  I 
was  ordered  by  letter  to  do  so.  1  easily  perceived  that 
that  letter  came  from  Rome.  I  resolved  therefore  to 
leave  the  convent,  and  to  enter  another  which  was  not 
so  subjected  to  the  Romish  see,  and  which  sent  out  mis- 
sionaries to  the  east. 

1  left  the  convent  after  having  abode  there  seven 
months,  and  the  Rector  gave  me  a  testimonial  which 
certified  my  good  moral  conduct,  but  not  that  my  faith 
was  unadulterated,  as  was  generally  certified  with  res- 
pect to  others.  It  is  as  follows  :  Ego  infrascriptus  tes- 
tor,  ingenuum  Juvenum  Josephum  Wolf,  natione  Bo- 
russum,  Halla  oriundum,  per  septem  menses,  quibus  no- 
vitium  conversatum,  fuisse  in  monasterio  Vallis  Sanctae 
congregationeis  Sanctissimi  Redemtoris,  mores  exhibu- 
isse  integerrimos  ,nec  exiisse  nisi  ob  Valetudinisinfirmi- 
tatem,  proinde  mereri,  qui  omnibus  ad  quos  pervenerit 
impense  commendetur.  Has  ei  manu  propria  subscrip- 
tas,  ac  Sigillo  consueto  munitas  dabam.  In  Valle  Sanc- 
ta,  die  29  Julii  1819.  P.  Jos.  Passerat,  Congregation- 
is  Ss.  Redemptoris,  Rector. 

When  1  left  the  convent  I  had  only  four  shillings.  I 
dined  the  first  day  of  my  journey  in  a  convent  of  Car- 
thusian friars,  who  are  not  permitted  to  eat  meat,  but 
fish  and  herbs,  and  who  are  required  to  speak  nothing 
but  "Memento  mori,"  or  "plorabis  et  jejunabis,  eras 
enim  morieris."  1  left  it  after  two  hours,  and  arrived  at 
Bulle,  a  town  in  the  canton  of  Freybourg,  where  a  Ca- 
puchin convent  is.  1  asked  the  Superior  of  the  convent 
whom  they  call  Guavdism,  whether  they  would  receive 
me  as  a  member  of  their  society:  he  replied,  with  joy 
and  gladness.     But  an   invisible  power  did  uot  permit 


51 

]t  should  be  so;  and  1  went  ilierefoie  tlie  following  ilny, 
to  Vevais,  where  1  found  a  Protestant  friend,  widi  whom 
I  had  met  when  I  went  to  Rome.  I  was  some  days 
with  him,  and  he  recommended  me  to  some  friends  of 
the  Emperor  of  Russia,  in  the  hope  that  they  wouhl  re- 
commend me  to  tliat  monaroii;  therefore  1  went  to  ]^au- 
sanne,  where  1  intended  to  wait  the  answer  of  the  Em~ 
peror,  in  the  house  of  a  pious  Protestant  bookseller. 

The  providence  of  God  conducted  me  to  Mi?s  Greaves, 
and  other  English  christians,  who  already  knew  me  by 
report.  They  recommended  me  to  an  English  cler- 
gyman, who  was  at  that  time  at  Lausanne,  and  was 
going  to  London,  for  which  place  they  gave  mc 
letters  of  introduction,  and  I  departed  for  London, 
after  having  remained  in  Geneva  some  days  with  pious 
Protestants,  ajnongst  others  with  Madame  D'Armand, 
whom  1  had  met  with  four  years  before  with  Madame 
la  Baronne  Krudener,  in  Switzerland.  I  arrived  in 
London  on  the  first  of  June,  1819,  being  twenty-three 
years  of  age,  and  ten  months, 


Thus  far  the  manuscript  of  Mr.  Wolf.  His  remain- 
ing history  may  be  related  in  a  few  words.  The  Eng- 
lish gentleman  to  whom  he  had  become  known  at  Rome, 
and  from  whom  he  there  received  tiie  promise  of  protec- 
tion, welcomed  him  on  his  arrival  in  England,  and  af- 
terwards recommended  him  to  the  London  Society  for 
promoting  Christianity  amongst  the  Jews,  as  a  person 
likely  to  prove  a  valuable  Missionary  for  Jerusalem  and 
the  East.  The  Society  was  satisfied  with  his  appear- 
ance and  his  conversation  ;  and  that  they  might  prove 
and  might  insure  his  qualifications,  they  sent  him  to  re- 
side at  Cambridge,  under  the  superintendance  and  care 
of  the  Rev.  Charles  Smieon,  and  Mr.  Professor  Lee, 
who  kindly  assisted  him  in  the  study  of  the  oriental 


52 

iangiiages.  He  remained  at  Cambridge  until  the  Soci- 
ety opened  its  Missionary  college  at  Stansted,  in  Sussex, 
and  then  removed  thither  with  the  other  students. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1821,  some  circumstances 
arose  which  made  it  necessary  that  Mr.  Wolf  should 
proceed  to  Palestine,  without  waiting  the  completion  of 
some  previous  arrangements  which  the  Society  consi- 
dered desirable,  if  he  went  as  their  Missionary'.  And 
it  was  therefore  arranged,  that  Mr.  Wolf  should  proceed 
to  Palestine,  under  the  superintendance  of  the  gentleman 
who  had  originally  recommended  him  to  the  Society, 
and  of  another  friend.  He  left  England  accordingly  in 
the  summer  of  1821,  in  a  vessel  for  Gibraltar.  He  pro- 
ceeded from  thence  to  Malta,  to  Alexandria,  to  Jerusa- 
lem, and  to  different  parts  of  Palestine.  He  returned 
again  to  Malta,  in  the  latter  end  of  1822;  and  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1823,  he  went  to  Palestine  a  se- 
cond time,  in  company  with  two  American  Missionaries. 
The  following  Journal  contains  a  narrative  of  liis  la- 
bours during  his  first  visit  to  Palestine. 


LETTERS  AND  JOURNAL, 


April  25,  1821.— Entered  the  ship  called  Friend- 
ship, lying  off  the  tower.  The  son  of  my  friend  Mr. 
B.  accompanied  n^.e  to  the  ship.  I  prayed  the  Lord 
now  to  begin  to  purify  my  heart  from  all  uncleanness, 
pride,  and  vanity,  that  I  may  not  become  a  castaway 
myself,  while  going  to  preach  to  others,  I  had  the  fol- 
lowing conversation  with  one  of  the  ship-officers,  about 
the  importance  of  cairying  the  everlasting  Gospel  to  the 
benighted  Jews  and  Mahomedans. 

Officer,  Will  you  preach  the  doctrine  of  the  English 
Church  f 

/.  The  doctrine  of  the  Bible,  that  Christ  came  into 
the  world,  died  for  sinners  and  rose  again. 

I  read  to  the  officer  about  the  infanticide  of  the  Hin- 
doos described  by  Buchanan,  and  asked  him  at  this  oc- 
casion whether  he  had  any  objection  to  my  reading  the 
Bible  with  him  every  evening,  and  the  sailors  were  full 
of  joy,  and  so  was  the  captain  when  1  told  them  that  I 
have  tracts  for  them  ;  my  heart  is  this  evening  in  a  state 
of  peace  and  rest,  I  feel  confidence  in  God's  help  ;  I  read 
and  expounded  this  evening  twice,  and  prayed  twice, 
first  with  the  officer,  and  then  with  the  sailors  of  the 
ship. 

Apj'il  27. — We  finally  started  at  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  I  expounded  to  the  officers  and  to  a  Welsh 
clergyman  of  the  Methodist  persuasion,  the  ninth  chap- 
ter of  Daniel,  and  tried  to  prove  by  this  chapter  that  the 
desire  of  all  the  saints  has  been  that  Israel  should  be 
saved,  and  that  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  should  be  built 

5* 


54 

tip  again,  and  that  the  Lord  Jesus  will  not  des}3ise  the 
prajer  for  the  elder  brother,  that  he,  the  Day-spring 
from  on  high,  will  visit  them,  and  1  pressed  it  upon  their 
mind,  that  we  all  must,  like  Daniel,  ix.  2.  try  to  under- 
stand by  books,  by  the  book  of  books,  the  Bible,  tne  will 
of  the  Lord :  by  verses  4 — 7,  I  shewed  that  we  must  come 
before  the  Lord  as  poor  and  wretched  sinners,  not  plead* 
ing  our  own  righteousness,  but  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
I  pointed  out  to  them  the  Lamb  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world.  A  little  while  after  that  exposition 
and  prayer,  1  read  loud  to  the  captain  and  officer,  *'  The 
Love  of  Christ  beareth  us  away,"  a  sermon  preached 
by  my  dear  Mr.  Ward  of  Sera m pore,  wliich  he  has 
made  me  a  present  of  ft  was  the  first  time  in  my  life 
that  I  ever  kneeled  down  among  sailors  to  pray  to  the 
Lord  God  Almighty  !  It  made  sweet  impression  in  my 
soul  to  see  above  us  the  sky,  and  beneath  the  great  riv- 
er— and  the  ship  hasting  to  the  wide  ocean — and  nine 
persons  kneeling  before  the  ruler  of  the  ocean,  imploring 
his  protection,  and  committing  our  safety  to  him.  I 
asked  the  captain,  the  pilot,  and  the  sailors,  whether  1 
should  not  likewise  read  to  them  a  portion  of  the  Scrip- 
ture while  they  were  taking  their  dinner,  breakfast,  and 
supper  ?  they  with  one  consent,  replied.  Oh  yes,  yes, 
yes  ! — I  read  therefore,  while  they  were  taking  their 
supper,  the  viiith  and  ixth  chapters  of  Matthew,  and 
made  on  this  occasion  some  few  remarks. 

I  retired  then  to  my  cabin,  and  prayed  that  I  may  not 
become  a  castaway  myself,  while  1  am  preaching  to 
others.     I  prayed  in  ejaculatory  sighs  for  absent  friends. 

Jlpril  29. — (Sunday  morning)  the  pilot  left  us,  and 
sea-sickness  came  on,  which  lasted  till 

May  I. — (Tuesday)  when  I  expounded  again  for  the 
first  time  to  the  captain  and  the  sailors,  the  xivth  chap- 
ter of  Matthew,  from  verse  22  to  36.  I  shewed  on  this 
occasion  how  thankful  we  should  be  to  the  Lord,  that 
our  ship,  now  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  was  not  tossed 
with  waves,  and  the  wind  not  contrary. 

JMay  5. — A  storm  of  wind  arose  so  violently  that  the 
?hi'p  was  tossed  to  and  fro.  and  water  entered  into  all 


the  parts  of  the  deck.  I  remauied  in  my  cabin  and 
prayed  to  the  Lord  that  he  may  speak  to  the  winds, 
Peace,  be  stilh  The  storm  did  last  the  whole  day  and 
the  whole  night  till  the  half  part  of  the  sixth  day  of  the 
month  May,  in  all  thirty  hours.  After  the  storm  was 
over,  the  captain  and  1  kneeled  down  and  offered  up 
^thanksgivings  unto  the  Lord  for  his  goodness,  and  his 
wonderful  works  unto  the  children  of  men. 

May  6. — The  captain  told  me  that  I  should  read  the 
cviith  psalm,  which  is  a  psalm  for  sailors.  I  read  this 
psalm  in  the  presence  of  the  crew. 

May  7. — Read  again  with  the  crew  and  the  captain 
a  part  of  St.  Mark's  Gospel,  and  did  thank  the  Lord  for 
our  preservation. 

I  was  weak,  and  the  ship  was  too  much  tossed  for 
reading  any  thing  in  a  solid  manner.  I  took  all  my  let- 
ters of  introductions  and  letters  of  credit,  out  of  my 
portmanteau,  and  did  put  them  into  my  coat  pocket,  in 
order  that  I  may  shew  them  in  the  case  of  a  shipwreck 
to  the  benevolent  inhabitants  of  any  shore,  where  the 
providence  of  God  might  cast  me  with  preserved  life  in 
its  mercy,  that  I  may  receive  assistance  ;  but  I  trust 
in  thy  mercy,  O  Lord,  that  thou  wilt  preserve  us  from 
shipwreck. 

May  9. — The  storm  is  over,  and  we  had  for  the 
whole  night,  and  have  still  fair  weather.  Read  again, 
after  some  days'  interruptions,  Hebrew  Bible,  New  Tes- 
tament, and  Henry  Martyn's  Life,  and  prayed  as  usual 
for  my  dear  friends  in  England.  Read  the  Bible  and 
offered  up  thanksgiving  to  the  Lord,  with  the  whole 
company  of  the  ship.     Have  read  a  little  Welsh. 

May  10. — Very  good  wind  the  whole  day.  Ex- 
pounded the  Gospel  of  St.  Mark,  finished  this  whole 
Gospel,  read  beside  this  Henry  Martyn's  Memoir,  and 
some  chapters  of  St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 
Am  not  quite  well — thought  much  of  my  mother,  bro- 
thers, and  sisters  in  Germany.  Have  agreed  with  the 
captain  that  he  should  sing  next  Sunday,  if  the  Lord 
s|)ares  our  life,  a  Welsh  hymn  with  his  crew,  to  the  glory 


56 

of  God.     Our   ship  is   a  little  church  upon  the  great 
waters. 

May  12. — Read  Exodus  in  Hebrew  to  the  xxxvith 
chapter,  and  in  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke.  Began  Crooll's 
Objections  to  Cliristianity  with  Scott's  Answer. 

The   sea   seemed   to   have  been  angry  with  me   for 
reading  the  blasphemies  of  Crooll  ;  for  sitting  with  the- 
book  on  deck,   the  waves  came   with  the   greatest  vio- 
lence over  the  ship,  and   covered  me  almost  from  head 
to  foot  with  water. 

May  13. — Fair  wind  continued,  expounded  xiiith 
chapter  of  the  Gospel  according  to  St.  Mark;  finished 
Exodus  in  Hebrew.    Read  again  part  of  the  Revelations. 

May  14. — Arrived  at  the  viith  chapter  of  Leviticus 
in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  and  read  four  chapters  of  St. 
John's  Gospel. 

Arrived  off  Cape  St.  Vincent.  Finished  Crooll's 
Objections  to  Christianity,  witli  sighs  for  the  blindness 
of  that  man.  It  is  very  singular,  that  here  again  the 
swelling  waves  of  the  sea  came  again  and  wetted  the 
book  through  for  the  second  time,  so  that  the  captain 
made  the  observation  that  I  should  not  read  this  book 
again  whilst  on  the  sea.  Crooll's  objections  filled  my 
heart  with  sorrow,  for  I  had  a  new  proof  in  what  an 
awful  blindness  the  Jews  are,  and  much  did  I  sorrow. 

May  16. — At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  we  arri- 
ved by  the  grace  of  the  Lord  safely  at  Gibraltar.  Two 
merchants,  who  were  Roman  Catholics,  came  on  board 
to  receive  letters  from  my  captain.  As  the  captain  had 
no  desire  to  go  immediately  on  shore,  and  I,  on  the  con- 
trary, wished  to  go,  he  desired  those  merchants  to  take 
me  in  their  boat,  which  they  willingly  did,  and  went 
then  afterwards  with  me  to  shew  me  the  house  of  Doc- 
tor Parker,  who  was  unfortunately  with  his  lady  in  the 
country.  One  of  those  merchants  did  therefore  accom- 
pany me  to  the  house  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Croscombe  and 
Rev.  Mr.  Rees,  both  of  the  Wesleyan  denomination,  to 
whom  I  had  letters  of  introduction.  They  received  me 
as  tl)eir  brother  in  the  Lord,  and  we  enjoyed  from  the 
first  moment  true  brotherly  communion.     They  pro- 


57 

cured  me  a  lodging  in  the  house  of  a  pious  citizen 
named  Cross.  I  met  beside  this,  the  first  evening,  a 
pious  gentleman,  Jolui  Pyne,  Esq.,  who  invited  me  to 
dine  with  him  next  Friday.  I  breakfast  and  dine  at 
present  with  Mr.  Rees  and  Mr.  Croscombe.  The  clever 
and  respectable  Jew  called  Gabay,  who  had  heard  of 
me  from  Mr.  Rees  before  my  arrival  at  Gibraltar,  has 
invited  me  to  call  on  him  next  ^Saturday  at  his  own 
house. 

May  17. — Made  the  acquaintance  of  Dr.  Coldstream, 
surgeon  in  the  26tli  regiment. — Being  obliged  to  wait 
the  arrival  of  Dr.  Parker,  to  whom  I  am  particularly 
recommended,  that  he  might  introduce  me  to  the  gov- 
ernor, 1  thought  Christian  wisdom  required  that  I  should 
not  introduce  myself  immediately  to  the  Jews,  nor  be 
introduced  to  them,  till  I  had  spoken  with  the  governor, 
and  I  made  therefore  the  following  observations  incog- 
nito, 1  observed  many  poor  Jews  from  the  Barbary 
coast  dressed  similar  to  the  Moors,  called  at  Gibraltar 
the  Moorish  Jews,  who  left  Barbary  on  account  of  the 
degradation  in  which  they  are  held  there  :  they  are  a 
very  fine  race  of  people,  but  extremely  poor.  Tiien  I 
saw  many  others  dressed  like  the  Turkish  and  the  Eng- 
lish Jews.  Their  open  and  decided  countenance 
struck  me  extremely  ;  although  not  one  of  them  knows 
me  at  present,  the}'  looked  me  in  the  face  with  such  a 
firmness  and  boldness,  that  I  fancied  they  said  to  me, 
We  will  answer  you  on  the  subject  on  which  you  intend 
to  challenge  us. 

Rev.  I\lr.  Rees,  the  Wesleyan  preacher,  told  me,  that 
the  Jew  Gabay,  who  desires  to  see  me  to-morrow  mor- 
ning at  his  house,  is  a  man  of  business,  a  WQvy  clever 
man,  who  has  travelled  in  Germany,  France,  and  in 
England,  where  he  received  his  English  education. 
He  speaks  Hebrew,  Italian,  Spanish,  and  English,  and 
learned  Arabic  from  a  Moorish  gentleman  ;  he  is  descri- 
bed by  Mr.  Rees  as  a  candid  and  gentlemanlike  per- 
son :  he  has  read  the  Gospel.  Lieutenant  Pollack  told 
me,  that  they  are  very  obstinate  ;  he  mentioned  to  me 
*he  Jew  Hassan,  who  is  very  rich,  and  professeth  Chris- 


58 

tianity.  Mr.  Pyrie,  above  mentioned,  will  introduce 
me  to  him.  The  richest  Jew  is  Ben  Oliel ;  he  is  very 
benevolent  to  the  poor.  Carthusi,  who  is  at  present 
at  London,  has  the  title  of  King  of  the  Jews  at  Gib- 
raltar ;  he  settles  all  the  disputes  among  the  Jews  : 
but  in  case  any  one  of  them  refuses  to  obey  him,  he 
brings  the  matter  before  the  governor,  and  desires  to 
turn  him  out  of  the  garrison.  The  number  of  the  Jews 
is  supposed  to  be  equal  to  that  of  the  Protestants. 

Dr.  Coldstream  told  me  that  my  knowledge  of  lan- 
guages, and  those  letters  from  respectable  persons  in 
England  and  Germany  wiiich  I  possess,  assure  me  a 
favourable  reception  from  the  Jews  at  Gibraltar.  I 
burn  to  be  introduced  to  my  brethren  in  this  town,  but 
I  am  firmJy  decided  not  to  go  to  them  until  Dr.  Park- 
er's return. 

May  18. — The  Lord  prepares  me  now  for  my  work 
in  a  most  marvellous  manner  ;  Lieutenant  Bailey,  who 
was  thirty  years  in  the  Levant,  and  who  is  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  manner  of  travelling  in  the  East, 
called  on  me,  and  gave  me  advice  how  to  travel  in 
those  parts  of  the  world,  and  he  offered  me  rooms  in 
his  own  house. 

May  19.— The  Rev.  Mr.  Rees  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Croscombe  introduced  me  to  Mr.  Gabay,  who  is  con- 
sidered by  the  Jews  themselves  as  the  most  learned  man 
among  them,  and  is  styled  by  the  Jews,  "  The  wise 
man."  He  was  just  interpreting  to  two  Jews  a  rabbini- 
cal book  ;  and,  surrounded  by  his  wife  and  children,  he 
received  us  all  with  the  greatest  kindness. 

He  tried  me  first  in  Italian,  then  in  Arabic,  and  in 
Hebrew,  and  shewed  me  after  this  the  travels  of  Nie- 
buhr  translated  into  the  French  language,  which  lan- 
guage he  understood  pretty  well.  On  my  asking  for 
an  Arabic  Bible,  he  brought  me  the  Arabic  transla- 
tion of  the  Old  Testament,  published  by  the  Bible  Soci- 
ety, and  we  read  together  a  great  part  of  the  first  chap- 
ier  of  Genesis. 

Gabay.     Do  you  understand  Persian  ? 

1.  A  little.  May  I  ask  you  about  the  State  of  the 
Jews  at  Gibraltar  ? 


5» 

Gabay.  With  pleasure. 

/.  How  many  Jews  are  at  Gibraltar  ? 

Gabay.  Three  or  four  thousand. 

/.  Have  they  a  Rabbi  ? 

Gabay.  Yes,  one  Rabbi,  his  name  is  Rabbi  Joseph 
from  Morocco. 

1.   Is  he  a  learned  man  ? 

Gabay.     In  the  Talmud  only. 

/.  Are  the  Jews  at  Gibraltar  all  Talmudists  or  Ca- 
raites  f 

Gabay.  No  Caraites,  all  are  Talmudists;  we  learn 
there  are  some  Caraites  Morocco. 

I  told  him  then  ofMr.  Lewis  Way's  conversation  with 
the  Caraite  Jews  in  the  Crimea,  and  Mr.  Way's  journey 
to  Aix-Ia-Chapelle,  with  which  account  Gabay  was 
\ery  much  pleased,  and  said,  Love  produces  more  ef- 
fect tlian  any  other  thing.  We  all  agreed  with  him.  I 
continued  then,  and  said,  that  true  Christians  in  every 
age  have  loved  the  Jews,  and  Mr.  Croscombe  observed 
We  are  obliged  to  love  the  Jews,  for  we  are  so  much 
indebted  to  them. 

/.  Is  the  account  true,  that  the  Jews  at  Gibraltar  have 
a  king  f 

Gabay.  No ;  for  the  Jews  are  now  without  king,  and 
without  prophet,  and  without  ephod. 

/.  Are  the  jews  at  Gibraltar  in  connection  with  the 
Jews  in  Germany  ? 

Gabay.  No. 

/.  Have  you  any  notice  of  that  new  synagogue, 
whicl)  tlie  Jews  in  Germany  have  established  ^ 

Gabay.  What  are  their  principles.^ 

I.  They  are,  alas!  Deists,  viz.  neither  Jews  nor 
Christians. 

Gabay.  They  are  the  beasts  spoken  of  in  the  Revela- 
tion of  St.  John.  He  shewed  me  then  a  Hebrew  Bible 
with  the  commentary  of  Jonathan,  (Targum  Jonathan.) 

/.  Has  Targum  Jonathan  the  same  authority  among 
the  Jews  here,  as  the  Targum  Onkeios  ? 

Gabay.  Yes  ;  for  Targum  Jonathan  is  written  by  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


60 

/.  How  may  this  be  proved  ^ 

Gabay.  By  tradition. 

/.  By  what  tradition  ? 

Gabay.  Of  that  of  the  Rabbies. 

I.  How  do  you  prove  the  truth  of  that  tradition  of 
the  Rabbies  ? 

Gabay  here  broke  off,  and  turned  the  conversation 
to  another  subject. 

/.  How  many  synagogues  have  the  Jews  at  Gibraltar? 

Gabay,  Four. 

I.  Of  what  rites  is  their  worship. 

Gabay  Of  the  Spanish  rites. — Do  you  understand 
Kimchi's  dictionary  ? 

I.  A  little. — Gabay  took  out  of  his  shelves  Kimchi's 
writings,  and  desired  me  to  read  ;  I  read  a  portion  of  it, 
and  asked  him  whether  he  would  have  any  objection  to 
read  the  Bd^le  with  mfe  on  the  Sabbath-day  in  the  Spanish 
tongue,  of  which  language  Gabay  is  perfect  master. 

Gabay.  With  great  pleasure. — He  shewed  me  aSpan- 
ish  Bible,  and  desired  me  to  read  and  to  translate  the 
thirty-eight  chapter  of  Job:  which  I  did,  he  then  shew- 
ed me  the  New  Testament  in  Hebrew,  which  he  had 
in  his  possession. 

After  I  had  showed  him  the  sermon  on  the  mount,  I 
asked,  How  do  you  consider  this  doctrine  ? 

Gabay.  I  consider  the  whole  as  a  history. 

/.  Do  you  approve  of  it  ? 

Gabay.  I  like  fine  and  good  words. — He  broke  off 
again,  and  I  did  not  press  upon  him,  and  offered  him 
the  History  of  the  Jews  written  by  Hannah  Adams,  with 
which  offer  he  was  much  pleased.  A  Jew  from  Barba- 
ry  entered  :  1  began  to  talk  Arabic  with  him,  but  he  could 
not  understand  my  pronunciation. 

/.   How  are  the  Jews  in  Morocco  treated  ? 

Gabay.  Very  ill. — I  expressed  my  compassion  in 
strong  terms. 

Gabay.  We  could  read  together  the  Bible  in  Hebrew  P 

I.   1  shall  be  most  happy. 

Gabay.  I  offer  you  a  room  in  my  house  ? 

I.  1  shall  be  most  happy  to  take  lodgings  in  your 


61 

house,  but  I  must  first  speak  about  it  with  Doctor  Par- 
ker, to  v^hom  I  am  particularly  recommended.  I  took 
his  child  in  my  arms  ;  the  Jews  present,  and  the  mother, 
Gabay's  wife,  seemed  surprised  by  my  kindness.  Our 
conversation  lasted  an  hour  and  a  half,  and  then  all  the 
Jews  and  Gabay  shook  hands  with  me,  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Croscombe  in  the  most  cordial  way,  and  he  expressed 
his  desire  that  I  would  come  often  to  him.  I  asked  him 
likewise,  whether  the  Jews  at  Gibraltar  read  their  Old 
Testament:  he  replied.  No,  alas !  for  Gibraltar  is  too 
much  a  town  of  business. 

Gabay.  In  the  edition  of  Simoni's  Hebrew  Bible, 
printed  at  the  expense  of  the  Bible  Society,  there  are 
many  mistakes. 

/.  Mistakes  which  alter  the  sense,  or  only  errors  of 
the  press  f 

Gabay.  Errors  which  alter  the  sense. — I  desired  him 
to  shew  me  those  errors,  which  he  was  most  ready  to  do, 
but  we  had  no  more  time.  The  Bible  Society  should 
indeed  take  into  consideration  the  assertion  of  such  a 
learned  man  as  Mr.  Gabay  is,  for  he  respects  highly 
the  Bible  Society  ;  he  spoke  of  the  Bible  Society  freely 
with  the  greatest  regard  and  animation,  and  considers 
that  Society  as  an  instrument  of  God  for  destroying  all 
the  prejudices,  and  exciting  and  reviving  piety  in  the 
minds  of  men. 

Doctor  P.  returned  from  Spain  the  nineteenth  of  May, 
and  we  consulted  with  Rev.  Messrs.  Rees  and  Cros- 
combe, Dr.  Coldstream  and  Pyne,  and  Lieutenant  Bai- 
ley, whether  I  should  accept  the  kind  offer  of  the  learned 
Jew  Gabay  to  give  me  a  lodging  in  his  house. 

May  21. — Dr.  P.  introduced  me  to  His  Excellency 
the  governor,  who  had  already  heard  of  me,  and  receiv- 
ed me  with  great  kindness,  and  gave  me  permission  to 
stay  at  Gibraltar  as  long  as  I  liked. 

Mr.  Pyne  informed  the  rich  Jew,  Mr.  Hassan,  of  my 
arrival ;  he  is  himself  a  Protestant,  and  he  desired  me 
to  call  on  him. 

Dr.  Parker  introduced  me,  and  I  took  out  of  my 
pocket  the  Hebrew  Testament,  and  said  :  that  as  I  my- 

6 


62 

self  was  a  Jew  by  birth,  and  brought  by  the  grace  ofthe 
Lord  to  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  whom  I  now 
worship  as  my  Saviour,  I  was  rejoiced  to  have  a  brother 
according  to  the  flesh  at  Gibraltar,  who  had  embraced 
Christianity,  and  1  hoped  he  had  done  so  from  convic- 
tion, convinced  that  we  are  all  sinners,  and  can  only  be 
saved  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 

Sam.  Hassan.  I  would  wish  that  all  the  Jews  may 
consider  the  subject,  and  be  ofthe  same  view  as  Chris- 
tians are,  for  the  religion  of  Christ  is  better. 

I  perceived  by  this,  that  he  had  not  understood  me, 
and  1  asked  him,  Why  did  you  become  a  Christian  .'' 

tSi  Hassan.  It  is  written  in  the  prophecies,  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ. 

/.  Have  you  read  the  Bible  ? 

S.  Hassan.  Yes,  in  the  Spanish  tongue  I  read  it. — As 
I  intended  to  read  some  chapters  ofthe  New  Testament 
with  him,  I  shewed  him  the  Hebrew  New  Testament  I 
had  in  my  hand,  and  asked  him  whether  he  ever  had 
seen  it  ? 

S.  Hassan.  I  never  have  seen  a  Hebrew  translation 
of  the  New  Testament,  but  I  think  the  Jews  will  be  sur- 
prised when  they  see  it. 

While  we  conversed  together,  his  brotlier,  Joseph 
Hassan,  a  great  Hebrew  scholar,  and  still  a  strict  but 
reasonable  Jew,  entered  the  room.  S.  Hassan  introdu- 
ced me  to  him.  His  eyes  are  like  eagle's  eyes,  and  he 
is  a  man  of  talent  and  wealth.  I  showed  him  the  New 
Testament;  he  read  in  it  the  fourth  and  fifth  chapters  of 
Matthew.  He  was  struck  when  he  read,  "  Think  not 
that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets  :  I  am 
not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil."  He  read  it  twice 
over,  and  continued  to  read. 

/.  Do  you  approve  of  this  doctrine  ? 

Joseph  Hassan.  I  cannot  yet  give  you  my  decided 
opinion,  for  1  never  have  read  the  New  Testament.  1 
know  only  the  Old  Testament,  but  1  will  tell  you  my 
view  about  the  Messiah,  and  about  Jesus.  The  design 
of  the  Messiah  was,  according  to  the  prophets,  to  restore 
Israel  into  their  own  lands,  and  to  make  them  kings 


63 

and  priests ;  to  redeem  them  from  their  captivity,  and  to 
make  them  a  righteous  people.  And  he,  the  Messiah, 
must  be  their  king,  and  mighty  to  save.  But  Jesus  was 
sacrificed,  it  may  be  for  a  good  purpose,  but  this  very 
circumstance  shows  that  he  was  not  the  Messiah. 

/.  I  am  entirely  of  the  same  opinion  that  the  Messiah 
will  come  again,  aud  restore  Israel  to  their  own  land, 
and  every  true  Christian  believes  it;  but  they  must  first 
look  on  him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and  mourn. 

J,  Hassan.  If  1  do  not  mistake,  the  Christians  be- 
lieve that  the  Messiah  was  to  redeem  Israel  from  eternal 
wrath  by  his  death  ;  but  how  can  this  be  proved  by  the 
Old  Testament  ?  to  which  we  ought  to  refer. 

I  referred  him  to  Gen.  iii.  15,  and  Is.  liii. 

J.  Hassan.  How  can  you  prove  that  he  is  already 
come  ? 

I  referred  him  to  Gen.  xlix.  10,  and  Dan.  ix. 

J.  Hassan.  1  cannot  now  go  into  argument,  for  I 
have  not  yet  read  your  book,  as  I  declared  from  the  be- 
ginning. I  have  no  hesitation  to  acknowledge  Jesus 
was  sent  by  God.  I  shall  examine  both  the  Old  and 
the  New  Testament.  The  state  of  the  Jews  is  bad  in- 
deed; they  are  the  worst  nation  upon  earth  ; 

/.  I  love  the  Jews,  and  have  pity  and  pray  for  them, 
that  ihey  may  be  saved  by  believing  in  Jesus,  who  is 
God  above  all,  blessed  for  ever. 

J.  Hassan.     I  cannot  believe  that  he  was  God. 

/.     Why  ? 

J,  Hassan.  I  cannot  comprehend  such  things  with 
my  reason. 

/.  Do  you  take  your  reason  tor  an  infallible  guide  in 
matters  of  religion ;  or  do  you  lake  the  revelation  oi 
God  laid  down  in  Moses  and  the  prophets.'* 

J.  Hassan.     The  Revelation  of  God. 

/.  "  A  child"  (I  cited  this  text  in  Hebrew)  "  is  born 
onto  us,  a  son  is  given  unto  us,  and  his  name  is  called, 
Wonderful,  Counsellor,  The  Miglity  God,  The  Ever- 
lasting Father,  The  Prince  of  Peace." 

J.  Hassan  (Repeated  with  visible  surprise  in  Hebrew.) 
■'^  A  child  is  born  unto  us,  a  son  is  given  unto  us,  and 


64 

his  name  is  called,  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  The  Mighty 
God,  The  Everlasting  Father,  The  Prince  of  Peace." 

After  he  had  repeated  this  verse,  he  said,  "  Let  us 
speak  about  the  seventh  chapter  of  Isaiah." 

/.  My  dear  brother,  let  us  not  spring  from  one  point 
to  another,  but  acknowledge  candidly  that  the  Son  is 
called  Mighty  God." 

J.  Hassan.     Yes. 

/.  Then  Jesus  is  Mighty  God — for  he  was  that  Son 
of  God. 

J.  Hassan,     I  must  read  the  New  Testament. 

Our  conversation  was  half  in  Italian,  half  in  Hebrew, 
and  half  in  English.  1  then  requested  Doctor  P.  to  con- 
tinue the  discourse  with  my  brother  according  to  the 
liesh,  which  he  did,  and  J.  Hassan  listened  with  great 
patience  longer  than  half  an  hour,  so  that  our  conversa- 
tion lasted  an  hour  and  a  half.  Dr.  P.  spake  of  the 
necessity  of  an  atonement.  J.  H.  confessed  his  entire 
ignorance  of  the  New-Testament,  and  promised  us  to 
read  it. 

I  called  again  on  Rabbi  Gabay,  and  took  with  me 
some  tracts  and  a  copy  of  the  Hebrew  Psalter,  of  which 
Mr.  Lewis  Way  has  made  me  a  present.  Gabay  was 
alone,  for  his  wife  and  children  were  gone  to  town.  He 
received  me  with  all  the  kindness  imaginable,  and  ac- 
cepted from  me  the  tracts  and  Psalter. 

/.     Rabbi,  will  you  allow  me  to  talk  with  you  freely  't 

Gahay.     With  pleasure. 

I.  1  am,  as  you  know,  a  Jew  by  birth,  the  son  of  a 
■Rabbi,  but  1  believe,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  that  Je- 
sus of  Nazareth  is  the  Christ,  for  the  prophets  and  Mo- 
ses assure  us  of  it  with  clear  and  distinct  words  :  and 
by  him  alone,  by  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  remission  of  sins  is 
obtained,  if  we  Ijelieve  in  him.  Rabbi,  you  may  be  per- 
suaded that  I  do  not  tell  you  this  with  the  intention  of 
offending  you,  for  I  love  the  Jews,  and  am  grieved  when 
I  see  them  persecuted  by  nominal  Christians,  who  have 
not  the  spirit  of  Christ ;  but  I  know  at  the  same  time, 
that  the  Jews  are  now  dispersed  throughout  the  world  on 
account  of  their  unbelief.     Their  heart  is  hardened— 


65 

they  hear  not  him  who  loves  them — they  read  not  Ijis 
Gospel,  which  gives  joy  and  peace.  I  never  felt  that 
joy  I  now  feel,  when  1  was  a  Jew.  I  tell  you  therefore, 
again,  Jesus  is  the  Shiloh  who  was  to  come. 

Gabay.     Jesus  is  Shiloh— how  do  you  prove  it  ? 

/.  For  the  sceptre  is  departed  from  Judah,  and  the 
lawgiver  from  between  his  feet. 

Gabay.     You  translate  shebet  (oD^O  sceptre. 

/.     What  other  meaning  can  you  give  ;CiZV  ? 

Gabay.  Shebet  has  ten  meanings.  First,  ^y^  (Scep- 
tre,) HI^Sd  D3^  (tli*^  sceptre  of  the  empire,)  "^DIL  D  j\i^ 
(rod  of  chastisement,)  after  I  have  premised  this,  I  trans- 
late Gen.  xlix,  10,  "  The  chastisement  shall  not  depart 
from  Judah,  until  Shiloh  (Messiah)  comes." 

/.  1.  You  have  lelt  out  tSj-j  p352  ppni:,  which,  if 
you  had  candidly  translated  it,  would  show  that  your 
translation  will  not  hold.  I  will  translate  after  your 
manner,  but  I  shall  only  translate  those  words  which 
you  have  left  out,  and  you  will  see  the  incompatibility  of 
it.  "Chastisement  shall  not  depart  from  Judah,  and 
the  Lawgiver  from  between  his  feet  until  Shiloh  comes." 
Chastisement  cannot  consist  with  the  privilege  of  the 
power  to  enact  laws.  2,  Jacob  blessed  Judah,  and  pre- 
dicted that  his  brethren  shall  praise  him  ;  and  being  re- 
presented as  a  young  lion,  it  is  not  probable  that  chas- 
tisement should  be  his  lot.  3.  Neither  Jews  nor 
Christians  have  the  right  of  altering  the  sense  accor- 
ding to  their  pleasure,  in  order  that  they  may  main- 
tain their  views  and  opinions.  J  confess  freely,  that 
there  are  Christians  who  do  the  same  as  you,  but  1  do 
not  approve  of  it,  it  produces  partiality.  t}3l^  was  in 
this  passage  translated  in  the  LXX.  280  years  before 
Christ,  in  Jerome,  in  Targum  OnkeK)s,  and  in  the  mo- 
dern times  by  all  the  learned  Jews,  "  sceptre  :"  why  do 
you  alter  the  sense .^ 

Gabay.     How  did  your  father  translate  it  ? 

I.     Sceptre. 

Gabay.     But  did  he  apply  it  to  Jesus  ? 

/.     No  ;  for  he  was  not  enlightened  by  the  grace  of 
6* 


66 

the  Lord,  for  only  tlie  grace  of  God  can  teach  us  to 
know  the  Lord  Jesus,  God  above  all,  blessed  for  ever. 

Gabay.     Shiloh  is  Moses. 

I.     Prove  it. 

Gabay.  Begimatria,  (j^nDt^JD)  or  by  the  Cabalisti- 
cal  account  of  the  letters ;  12;  signifies  Moses ,  •SjP,  n^^J2, 

I.  I  reject  every  proof  which  is  not  taken  from  the 
Bible. 

Gabay.  Then  I  will  shew  you  the  opinion  of  the 
great  Rabbi  More. 

/.     I  have  nothing  to  do  with  More — the  Bible  only  t 

Gabay.      Moses    has    received    two    Torahs,    n"liri 

tiiSi'''^^  and  2:2i<r\::2'V  mm. 

/.  Prove  by  DKHD^l^  miH,  the  written  word,  the 
truth,  or  the  existence  of  nBh'V^W  n^ViPj  the  traditional* 

As  1  saw  that  he  began  to  make  a  poor  figure,  I  broke 
off,  and  turned  the  conversation  to  Isaiah  liii. 

Gabay.  Israel's  sufferings  are  described  in  this  chap- 
ter. 

J.  According  to  this  opinion,  the  8th  verse  must  be 
interpreted  and  translated  in  the  following  manner  :— 

"Israel  (he)  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living: 
for  the  transgression  of  my  people  (Israel)  was  he  (Is- 
rael) stricken." — Gabay  v  as  silenced,  but  not  convinced. 

After  a  little  while  Gabay  said,  "  How  could  Jesus 
abolish  circumcision  ?"  1  answered  him  by  Jeremiah 
xxxi. 

Gabay.  It  is  clearly  said,  that  the  uncircumeised  go 
10  hell. — He  showed  me  for  a  proof,  Ezek.  xxxii. 

/.  It  is  not  said  that  they  go  to  hell  on  account  of 
that  uncircumcision  of  the  flesh;  and  we  must  not  con- 
found the  old  with  the  new  covenant. 

The  conversation  lasted  two  hours.  We  separated 
as  friends,  and  he  asked  me  to  come  to  him  again. 

May  24.  Lieutenant  Bailey  introduced  me  yester- 
day morning  to  Mr.  Ben  Oliel,  who  is  not  only  the 
richest  Jew,  but  the  richest  man,  at  Gibraltar ;  he  is 
Consul  general  of  the  Emperor  Morocco.  He  received 
ns  with  great  kindness,  and  told  us  he  should  be  glad 


67 

to  see  us  at  his  country  house,  where  he  would  give 
me  all  the  information  he  could  about  the  East.  Dr. 
Parker  and  Lieut.  Bailey  went  with  me  to  Mr.  Ben  Oli- 
el,  and  he  received  us  with  the  cordiality  of  an  Israelite 
indeed.  And  although  I  had  told  him  I  was  a  Jew,  and 
had  through  conviction  entered  the  Christian  church, 
he,  as  a  strict  Jew,  did  not  change  his  countenance,  but 
promised  to  give  me  letters  for  the  prior  of  the  Spanish 
convent  at  Jerusalem,  that  he  may  introduce  me  to  the 
Jews  at  Jerusalem.  He  was  rejoiced  that  I  could  talk 
with  him  in  Hebrew,  although  not  fluently,  and  also  iu 
Arabic,  and  was  pleased  to  hear  accounts  of  the  Jews 
residing  at  Paris  and  Germany.  He  promised  to  intro- 
duce me  to  the  three  presidents  of  the  three  synagogues 
at  Gibraltar,  that  they  might  shew  me  their  synagogues. 

Jonas,  a  young  Jew  of  Gibraltar,  came  to  Dr.  Par- 
ker's, and  argued  with  me  an  hour  and  a  half;  he  ex- 
plained Genesis  xlix.  10,  in  the  following  manner: 
"  Prosperity  and  happiness  shall  not  depart  from  Judah, 
until  Shiloh  the  Messiah  comes"  And  he  argued  that 
there  is  much  wealth  and  prosperity  to  be  met  with 
among  the  Jews,  especially  at  Gibraltar,  and  other  parts 
of  the  East.  What  he  brought  forth  was  quite  non- 
sense. I  offered  him  a  New  Testament,  but  he  answer- 
swered  me  that  he  had  one.  Not  one  Jew  at  Gibraltar 
came  to  me  to  ask  money ;  to  defend  their  religion  is 
their  only  object.  I  gave  him  a  copy  of  the  Psalter, 
and  Tremellius's  Catechism. 

May  25. — I  again  visited  Rabbi  Nahman  of  Jerusa- 
lem. After  we  had  talked  for  half  an  hour  about  the 
East,  other  Jews  entered  the  room,  and  among  them 
the  above  mentioned  Jonas. 

Rabbi.  I  have  heard  that  your  intention  is  to  convert 
the  Jews  at  Jerusalem.  You  must  know,  as  a  man  af 
sense,  that  we  are  attached  to  our  religion,  and  that  it  is 
quite  impossible  for  you  to  convert  a  Jew. 

/.  It  is  true,  I  cannot  convert,  God  only  can  convert; 
but  1  shall  tell  every  one,  that  I,  who  was  once  a  Jew, 
am  now  a  Christian,  and  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Mes- 
siah. 


68 

As  soon  as  I  had  said  this,  Jonas  interrupted  me  and 
began  to  argue  with  me  ;  the  Rabbi  told  him  that  I  came 
to  converse  with  himself,  and  not  with  Mr.  Jonas.  Jonas 
then  became  more  impudent,  and  insulted  the  Rabbi. 

/.  Mr.  Jonas,  I  came  not  to  argue  with  you,  but  to 
converse  with  the  Rabbi ;  if  you  will  argue  with  me, 
come  to  my  house,  but  now  I  beg  you  not  to  interrupt 
us. 

Jonas  became  white  as  a  sheet  of  paper,  and  did  hold 
his  tongue.  Soon  after  1  went  away,  and  the  Rabbi 
promised  to  call  on  me. 

May  25. — Mr.  Ben  Oliel  introduced  me  this  evening 
to  Mr.  Abraham  Ben  Atar,  to  Mr.  Joseph  Bensequin, 
and  to  Mr.  Sekerre;  Dr.  Parker  and  Lieutenant  Bailey 
accompanied  me.  I  perceived,  in  the  room  of  Mr.  Ben 
Oliel,  the  picture  of  the  great  Rabbi  Cologna  of  Paris, 
whom  they  consider  as  a  man  of  the  highest  talents. 
Abraham  Ben  Atar,  Jos.  Bensequin,  and  Sekerre,  are 
the  presidents  of  the  three  chief  synagogues  at  Gibral- 
tar, they  all  assured  me  that  there  are  not  more  than 
1600  Jews  at  Gibraltar.  1  was  asked  about  the  new 
synagogue  at  Berlin,  the  members  of  which  synagogue 
send  individuals  to  several  parts  of  the  world  to  procure 
subscriptions  and  to  make  proselytes,  but  they  do  not 
find  access  at  Gibraltar.  They  gave  me  information 
about  the  Jews  in  Portugal,  and  assured  me  that  they 
remained  faithful  to  their  religion,  but  the  Jews  in  Spain 
have  entirely  forgotten  that  thpy  are  Jews.  I  asked 
them,  whether  the  account  1  heard  at  Rome,  from"  the 
secretary  of  the  inquisition,  was  true,  namely,  that  there 
is  a  street  at  Madrid  where  they  are  all  Jews.f*  They 
replied.  Yes  ! 

Mr  Ben  Oliel  asked  them  to  introduce  me  to  their 
synagogue,  which  they  did.  The  president  gave  me, 
and  my  companion,  Lieutenant  Bailey,  a  seat  near  his, 
and  a  prayer  book  in  Hebrew  and  English  :  they  shew- 
ed me  the  prayer  for  the  king,  written  in  the  most  ex- 
cellent Hebrew  you  can  imagine.  A  young  nice  and 
respectable  Jew  said  to  Dr.  Parker,  that  he  must  talk 
with  me  on  the  subject  of  religion.     A  young  Jew  from 


69 

Barbary,  an  amiable  man  indeed,  came  to  me  and 
shook  hands  with  me,  and  said  in  Hebrew,  I  wish  to 
speak  with  you  ;  I  told  liim,  I  should  be  very  happy. 
The  same  evening  there  came  to  me  two  respectable 
Jews  and  asked  for  Gospels  and  tracts.  Dr.  Parker 
thouglit  it  well  to  give  them  without  money,  which  I 
did.  They  promised  to  come  to  me  and  converse  with 
me  on  Monday. 

May  26. — I  went  in  company  with  Lieutenant  Bailey, 
to  the  synagogue  called  Shaar  Hasha,  that  is,  the  Gates 
of  Heaven.  A  rich  Portuguese  Jew,  called  Cohen  talked 
with  me,  and  told  me  that  there  are  Jews  in  Portugal,  who 
are  Bishops  and  Roman  Catholic  Priests,  and  in  secret 
observe  the  Jewish  religion.  He  told  me  that  a  Jew  from 
Portugal  came  lately  to  Gibraltar,  where  he  was  circum- 
cised. He  now  lives  at  Malta.  Mr.  Cohen  invited  me 
to  drink  tea  with  him. 

I  went  for  the  third  time  to  Rabbi  Gabay.  Dr.  Par- 
ker thought  it  well  that  I  should  go  alone,  as  I  am  known 
to  all  the  Jews  at  Gibraltar.  Before  1  went  we  prayed 
the  Lord  to  be  my  mouth,  and  to  give  me  wisdom  and  dis- 
cretion in  defending  his  holy  name,  and  the  Lord  in  his 
infinite  mercy  and  goodness  heard  our  prayer  and  sup- 
plication. 

I  went  in  the  forenoon,  at  half  past  eleven,  to  Rabbi 
Gabay,  to  read  Spanish.  Rabbi  Gabay's  son  stood  at 
the  gate,  and  when  he  saw  me  he  ran  to  tell  his  father. 
When  I  entered  the  room,  Rabbi  Gabay,  and  three  Jews 
with  white  beards,  dressed  in  tlie  Turkish  manner,  four 
other  respectable  Jews  of  the  Portuguese  persuasion, 
and  two  Jewish  ladies  were  present.  They  all  arose. 
I  shook  hands  with  Rabbi  Gabay,  and  made  my  bow  to 
the  others,  to  which  they  replied  very  kindly,  and  they 
all  shewed  by  their  countenances  that  they  respected  my 
persuasion,  but  that  they  are  not  afraid  of  me,  and  that 
they  should  be  ready  to  answer  if  I  attacked  them.  1 
desired  Rabbi  Gabay  to  read  the  Bible  with  me  in  the 
Spanish  tongue. 

Gabay.     What  chapter  do  you  like  to  read  ? 


70 

I  vvoLikl  not  choose  a  chapter,  for  although  I  wislied 
to  choose  a  chapter  hi  whicii  the  Messiah  was  spoken 
of,  1  did  not  know  whetlier  Gabay  would  like  to  argue 
with  me  in  the  presence  of  other  Jews.  I  said  therefore 
to  him,  that  he,  as  my  master,  should  choose  a  chapter. 
He  took  the  xith  chapter  Isaiah,  "  And  there  shall  come 
forth  a  rod  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  and  a  branch  shall 
grow  out  of  his  roots."  Wlien  we  arriv^ed  at  the  fourth 
verse,  '*  And  with  the  breath  of  his  lips  shall  he  slay  the 
wicked,"  Gabay  asked,  Who  is  that  wicked.^ 

/.  The  rebels  against  God's  revelation. 

Gabay.  Antichrist  is  understood. 

/.  It  may  be. — And  I  continued,  and  read  to  verse  6, 
"  The  wolf  also  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leop- 
ard shall  lie  down  with  the  kid."  Gabay  interrupted 
me  again,  and  asked,  what  is  the  sense  of  this  verse  ? 

I.  That  there  shall  be  universal  peace. — After  I  had 
finished  the  chapter,  a  silence  took  place  for  some  min- 
utes. The  Turkish  Jews  sat  in  the  eastern  manner, 
with  their  hands  on  their  beards.  A  young  Jew,  w  hose 
countenance  expressed  solidity  and  seriousness,  opened 
the  Hebrew  Bible,  and  all  the  others  followed  his  ex- 
ample. 

Young  Jew.  Mr.  Wolf,  have  you  understood  the  con- 
tents of  this  chapter. 

/.  The  prophet  speaks  of  the  Messiah. 

Young  Jew.  Does  now  the  wolf  dwell  with  the  lamb, 
and  does  the  leopard  lie  down  with  the  kid  ? 

/.  Before  I  enter  into  any  argument,  1  feel  it  to  be 
my  duty  to  declare  what  my  faith  is.  My  brethren,  you 
may  be  persuaded  that  I  love  you,  and  it  does  break  my 
heart  when  I  see  my  brethren  persecuted  by  nominal 
Christians  ;  but  I  must  sa}'  this,  that  that  Jesus,  whom 
our  forefathers  have  crucified,  is  the  Messiah,  the  Re- 
deemer of  Israel,  and  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  will 
obtain  remission  of  sins,  will  experience  peace,  and  joy, 
and  righteousness  in  the  Holy  Spirit !  Yes,  yes.  I 
tell  you  the  truth  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah.  "  Blessed 
are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  their's  is  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven.    Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  they  shall  be 


71 

comforted.  Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they  shall  inherit 
the  earth."  He  came  not  to  destroy  the  law  and  the 
prophets.  He  came  not  to  destroy  but  to  fulfil. — Jesus 
the  crucified  one  is  the  Messiah,  and  that  Jesus  must  be 
preached,  and  I  trust  by  the  Lord's  grace,  he  will  give 
me  strength  enough  to  die  for  the  glory  of  his  name  ! — 
Jesus  is  the  Messiah  !  This  was  the  substance  of  my 
profession  in  the  midst  of  the  Jews.  I  told  it  with  a 
voice,  and  with  an  agitation,  that  they  were  fully  per- 
suaded that  I,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  believed  what  i 
professed  to  beheve.  No  anger,  no  gnashing  of  teeth, 
neither  laughter  nor  blasphemy  followed,  God  be  prais- 
ed for  it  ;  but  there  was  a  serious  countenance,  a  look- 
ing to  their  Bibles,  and  no  Talmud  was  seen  upon  the 
table.  I  wish  I  were  in  London  to  imitate,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  youself  and  otiier  Christian  friends,  the  serious 
countenance  of  those  brethren,  and  especially  of  that 
young  Jew,  whose  countenance  and  eyes  whilst  looking 
at  the  aged  Jews,  who  were  looking  for  Scriptural  pas- 
sages, expressed  his  intention  to  cut  me  in  pieces,  not 
with  violence,  but  with  the  force  of  his  arguments,  and 
with  the  sword  of  Scripture. 

Young  Jew.  Now  you  have  poured  out  your  feeling, 
but  1  desire  arguments. 

All  the  Jews.  Arguments. 

J.  The  Messiah  is  come. 

Young  Jew.  But  the  lamb  does  not  dwell  with  the 
wolf;  it  is  not  yet  that  universal  peace. 

/.  This  v^ill  take  place  on  his  second  coming. 

Young  Jew,  How  do  you  prove  two  comings  of  the 
Messiah  ^ 

I.  When  we  find  that  there  was  the  greatest  part  of 
the  prophecy  fulfilled,  in  one  who  declared  himself  the 
Messiah,  then  we  must  believe  that  he  was  the  MessiTJi, 
and  are  bound  to  believe  what  he  revealelh  unto  us ;  and 
Messiah  is  to  come,  for  he  tells  us  lie  shall  come  again. 
And,  secondly,  many  prophecies  are  not  yet  fulfilled, 
and  he  must  come  again  to  fulfil  them. 

Young  Jew.  How  do  you  prove  that  Messiah  must 
have  come  ^ 


72 

7.  The  sceptre  shall  not  be  taken  from  Judah,  uiiiil 
Shiloh  comes. 

Yc*:ing  Jew.  But  the  sceptre  departed  300  years  be- 
fore Jesus. 

/.  Very  well,  then  according  to  your  argument  Mes- 
siah has  come  ;  I  did  not  prove  from  the  passage,  that 
Jesus  must  have  been  the  Messiah. 

Young  Jew.  No,  but  this  proves  that  it  must  be  un- 
derstood in  a  different  way. 

1.  We  have  no  right  to  alter  the  grammatical  sense 
of  a  passage,  when  it  does  not  agree  with  our  view,  and 
does  not  suit  our  purpose. 

Young  Jew.  How  do  you  explain  the  ^^'IJ'  other- 
wise than  instantly  ? — 1  proved  by  other  passages,  that 
^^""1]r  *s  often  said  when  a  thing  will  happen  a  long  time 
after  :  and  thus  we  arrived  to  the  ixth  chapter  of  Dan- 
iel, which  I  read  through,  and  shewed  that  the  weeks 
appointed  for  C'hrist's  coming  into  the  world  were  pass- 
ed. He  confessed  that  he  did  not  understand  the  weeks 
of  Daniel.  He  said  then.  Of  what  use  is  the  genealogy 
of  Jesus,  if  he  was  not  the  son  of  Joseph  ? 

/.  To  sliew  to  the  Jews,  tliai  Jesus  could  be  no  other 
than  the  son  of  David  (Tsaiah  xi.)  We  may  take  him 
from  Joseph's  or  Mary's  side. 

Young  Jew.  The  mother  cannot  be  reckoned. 

/.  In  Numbers  xxii.  the  daughters  of  Zelophehad, 
there  is  an  instance  to  the  contrary.  "  God  hath  crea- 
ted a  new  thing  in  the  earth,  a  woman  shall  compass  a 
man." 

Young  Jew.  iDli  can  never  mean  a  man-cliild^  for  the 
very  derivation  signifies  a  strong  man. 

I  referred  to  Job  iii.  3.  where  by  i^j  evidently  a  man- 
child  is  understood. 

Young  Jew.  How  do  you  prove  that  n?::Sp  signifies  a 
virgin  ? 

/.  The  root  of  it  is  dSj7  ^o  hide,  a  woman  hidden  from 
man  until  her  marriage. 

Gahay.  \  Samuel  xvii.  13.   A  young  man  is  called 


73 

/.  The  very  passage  shews  flt:Sy  sign i lies  a  virgin, 
foroSy  is,  in  a  contemptible  sense,  a  man  not  yet  fit  to 
marry. 

Young  Jew.  In  Proverbs  xxx.  19,  ^dS^  signifies  a 
young  ivife. 

I.  You  have  no  right  to  translate  it  wife. 

Young  Jew.  Why  do  not  Christians  celebrate  the 
Sabbath? 

/.  They  are  commanded  to  do  it ;  if  they  do  it  not, 
they  sin. 

Giibay  and  the  young  Jew  then  desired  me  to  write 
down  my  proofs  for  Christianity,  and  they  would  an- 
swer,    i  intend  to  do  so  if  I  have  time. 

The  conversation  lasted  three  hours  and  a  half,  and 
we  left  each  other  in  the  greatest  friendship. 

Gibraltar,  June  13,  1821. 
Dearest  Friends, 

The  ship  does  not  yet  sail,  on  account  of  the  contrary 
wind,  and  I  continue  therefore  my  conversations  with 
the  Jews  at  Gibraltar. 

The  10th  of  June,  I  read  with  Mr.  Gabay  the  work 
of  the  Portuguese  Rabbi  Netto,  who  was  Doctor  of 
Madeira,  and  High  Priest  of  the  Jews  at  London,  and 
died  in  the  year  1727 ;  he  wrote  his  work  in  the  Span- 
ish tongue — it  is  a  refutation  of  the  principles  of  the 
Caraite  Jews,  who  deny  the  authority  of  tradition. 
Rabbi  Netto  must  have  read  Bellarmin,  and  Thi;mas 
Aquinas,  for  he  proves  the  necessity  and  divine  origin 
of  tradition,  just  in  the  same  way  as  those  champions  of 
Popery  did.  The  learned  Jews  at  Gibraltar  study  the 
works  of  Rabbi  Solomon  Isaac,  Aben  Ezra,  Rabbi 
Levi,  Ben  Gerson,  Rabbi  David  Kimchi,  Abarbanel, 
Prime  Minister  of  tht-  King  Fernando  V.,  the  Book 
Zohar.  The  most  learned  Jews  at  Gibraltar  are,  I. 
Rabbi  Joseph  Elmaleck. — 2.  Rabbi  Shalom. — 3.  Rabbi 
Judah  Bives. — 4.  Joseph  Ben  Saken. 

1  distributed  the  following  quantity  of  New  Testa- 
ments, not  those  of  my  own,  but  of  Dr.  Parker's : — L 

7 


74 

One  New  Testament  to  the  respectable  Jew  Ben  Aba. 
2.  To  Isaac  Levi,  a  nice  young  man  of  talent  and  pro- 
perty.— 3.  The  excellent  and  serious  Jew  Sananes. — 4. 
1  gave  one  to  an  Anonym. — 5.  Cohen,  a  gentleman  by 
principle  and  education. — 6.  To  Mr.  Ben  Aruz,  respec- 
ted by  all  the  officers  of  the  Garrison  as  an  honest  man 
and  a  gentleman  ;  he  is  a  man  of  property  :  he  desired 
Mr.  Cohen  to  lend  him  the  New  Testament ;  being  in- 
formed of  it,  1  went  to  him  with  Mr.  Cohen  and  gave 
him  one.  I  shall  soon  mention  the  interesting  conver- 
sation I  had  with  him.— 7.  Ben  Sachar,  a  merchant, 
and  a  man  of  education. — 8.  Ben  Sachen,  jun.,  a  rich 
Jew. — 9.  Schemai  Uziel. — 10.  Benadino. — 11.  Belis. 
12.  Judah  Aboah. — 13.  Mr.  Messiah,  a  young  gentle- 
man-like Jew,  who  understands  Latin,  French,  Spanish, 
and  Hebrew,  and  who  has  read  Buchanan's  Research- 
es, and  believes  himself  to  be  of  the  family  of  King  Ua- 
^id. — 14.  Anonym. — 15.  Ben  Jamin. — 16.  Simon  Uziel. 
17.  Judah  Benaim.— 18.  Sarphat.— 19.  Casetti.— 20. 
Anonym. — 21.  Anonym. — 22.  Anonym. — 23.  Anonym. 
24.  To  Mr.  Gabay  two  for  distribution. — 25.  Haguz 
Hazalcot.— 26.  Menahem  Gomez. — 27.  Joseph. —28. 
Kamkit,  a  schoolmaster.  I  just  came  to  Mr.  Gabay,  when 
he  was  about  to  lend  Mr.  Kamkit  his  own  New  Testa- 
ment to  read,  I  therefore  made  him  a  present  of  that 
which  I  had  with  me.  Many  desired  to  pay,  but  I  re- 
ceived no  money,  according  to  Dr.  Parker's  advice. 
Wheu  I  came  last  Saturday  to  Mr.  Gabay,  1  met  there 
five  or  six  Jews,  who  read  the  New  Testament  with  Mr. 
Gabay.  And  on  Saturday,  in  the  afternoon,  I  found 
Mr.  Gabay,  with  Mr.  Casetti,  at  Dr.  Parker's,  expect- 
ing me,  and  we  read  the  New  Testament  together  with 
great  eagerness  indeed.  1  have  given  three  Ne.^  Testa- 
ments to  three  other  poor  Jews,  who  understand  Hebrew 
very  well  indeed. 

I  was  introduced  on  the  12th  of  June,  1821,  by  Mr. 
Cohen,  to  Mr.  Ben  Aruz. 

Ben  Aruz.  I  am  very  much  obliged  for  the  New 
Testament ;  I  say  always  to  my  friend  Cohen  that  Mr. 
Wolf  is  a  very  sensible  man,  of  great  talent,  who  gains 


75 

much  money,  and  eats  well,  and  drinks  well,  and  be- 
lieves in  his  heart  what  he  likes  ;  all  the  Jews  at  Gibral- 
tar are  a  parcel  of  fools,  who  argue  with  you  about  the 
prophets  and  the  law.  I  was  in  the  world  and  know 
the  world  very  well  ;  I  have  done  myself  all  that  you, 
Mr.  Wolf,  do — I  went  about  with  Bishops  arm  in  arm  ; 
I  lived  many  times  in  convents,  moreover  I  was  the  gnl- 
ant  homme  of  all  the  ladies  ;  but  in  the  midst  of  all  those 
things  my  heart  was  a  Jew — and  thus  you  are,  Mr. 
Wolf, — But  you  are  right  ! 

/.  It  is  sorrowful,  indeed,  that  you  know  so  little  of 
the  spirit  of  the  law  of  Moses  and  the  prophets,  so  that 
you  think  that  a  man  may  be  a  hypocrite,  and  neverthe- 
less be  a  Jew.  If  you,  Mr.  Ben  Aruz,  have  acted  thus 
in  your  youth,  for  a  little  meat  and  drink,  you  have 
acted  wrong,  and  [  tell  you  that  you  have  not  been 
happy  that  whole  time.  And  do  you  think  that  I  should 
be  such  a  fool  to  deny  my  God,  my  Saviour,  for  money, 
for  meat  and  drink  t  There  will  be  a  day  of  resurrec- 
tion., a  day  of  universal  judgment,  and  if  I  should  then 
be  in  such  a  state,  as  you  suppose,  my  wr.  tched  soul 
would  be  in  an  awful  condition.  But  no,  no,  I  believe 
1  ather  with  all  my  heart,  and  all  my  soul,  in  Jesus  Christ, 
my  Saviour,  my  Redeemer. 

Mr.  Cohen  went  away,  and  I  was  a  little  while  alone 
with  Ben  Aruz. 

Ben  Aruz.  Mr.  Wolf,  I  am  a  man  of  honour,  a  man  of 
secresy,andIassureyou  with  an  oath,  thatlwill  notbetray 
you ;  but  tell  me  sincerely,  do  you  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  ? 

I.  In  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord,  my  God — in  Jesus 
Christ,  my  Lord,  my  God — in  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord, 
my  God — the  heaven  above  is  my  witness,  and  the  earth 
beneath. 

Ben  Aruz.  What  use  is  the  Son  ?  we  have  the  Fa- 
ther, and  in  him  we  believe  ! 

/.  Do  you  believe  in  the  Father  ? 

Ben  Jiruz.  I  believe. 

I.  And  all  that  he  commands  ^ 

Ben  Bruz.  And  all  that  he  commands  I  am  obliged 
to  fulfd. 

J.  The  father  commands,  "  Kiss  the  Son  !" 


76 

Ben  Aruz.  1  only  tell  you  this,  Mr.  Wolf,  you  w91 
cry  out  at  your  death,  "  1  have  sinned,  I  have  commk- 
ted  iniquity,  I  have  done  wickedly." 

/.  Yes,  yow  are  right,  I  shall  cry  out  indeed,  "  I  have 
sinned,  I  have  committed  iniquity,  I  have  done  wicked- 
ly ;"  but  at  the  same  time  I  hope  to  add,  "  1  hope  in 
thee,  Jesus,  my  Lord,  and  my  Redeemer,  and  my  God  !" 

Jewsof  respectability  entering  the  room  of  Mr.  Ben 
Aruz,  saluted  me  in  a  very  kind  manner ;  I  began  to 
talk  about  the  divine  origin  of  the  Law  of  Moses  and 
the  Prophets,  and  the  malice  of  the  Rabbies.  It  was 
the  first  time  I  attacked  their  prejudices.  They  listen- 
ed with  all  attention,  and  shewed  me  the  greatest  res- 
pect. T  visited,  after  that  conversation,  the  Rabbi  of 
Jerusalem,  who  received  me  with  the  greatest  kindness, 
and  told  me  that  he  was  sorry  that  Jonas  was  so  unpo- 
lite.  He  told  me  that  he  had  the  intention  of  visiting 
London  before  his  departure  for  Jerusalem;  I  asked 
him  whether  he  would  lake  with  him  some  letters  for 
you  to  London  ?  he  replied,  "  With  great  pleasure," 
He  will  come  to  London  in  a  month,  and  bring  for  you 
some  letters:  I  am  sure  you  will  receive  him  kindly. 

June  13. — Mr.  Gabay  attacked  me  again  with  the 
word  C^nSy  (Is.  vii.)  and  said,  it  is  true  that  lS;;  signi- 
fies to  hide,  but  I  will  shew  you  that  r  oSy  may  signify 
something  else;  but  he  desired  first  of  all  my  strict 
proofs  that  nuSj.^  signifies  mV^m. 

/.  1.  Proof  by  the  origin  of  the  word  itself.  2.  By 
the  eldest  translator.  3.  By  the  citation  of  the  New 
Testament.  1.  Origin,  t'h^  hide,  M^iS'  ,  «  woman  hid^ 
den,  after  the  manner  and  custom  of  the  East,  until  she 
is  of  age  for  marriage.  2.  The  Greek  Translators,  one 
liundred  and  eighty  years  before  Christ,  translate  it 
Virgin.  3.  Tlie  Evangelist  Matthew  would  not  have 
been  so  bold  as  to  translate  it  Virgin,  if  the  Jews  had 
not  generally  understood  FiV^tn  under  nt^Sj;.  4.  Oth- 
er passages  prove  it. 

Gabay.  I  will  prove  to  you  by  Kimchi's  Dictionary, 
that  D^T  must  have  another  original  signification  beside 
hide.     He  opened  Kimchi  and  shewed  me  D'S^^^J?  which 


77 

Kimchi  translates  K'i'?n,  sinner,  but  Gabay  did  not  read 
through  Kimchi's  interpretation. 

/.  Sir.  Gabay,  go  on  !  go  on !  go  on  !  (I  never  was 
in  such  a  heat[)  Gabay  was  obliged  to  continue,  and 
we  found  that  Kimchi  mentioned  the  reason  why  D1LSy:i 
has  the  signification  of  sinner,  for  he  (says  Kimchi)  acts 
in  secret  places.  The  above-mentioned  Ben  Aruz,  who 
is  the  friend  of  Mr.  Gabay,  with  whom  he  travelled  ten 
years,  entered  the  room  ;  he  used  the  same  arguments 
he  did  the  day  before  ;  1  was  able,  by  the  grace  of  the 
Lord,  to  tell  him  again  that  1  set  my  only  hope  in  Je- 
sus, my  Lord  ! 

Ben  Aruz.  You  must  confess  the  name  of  Christ ! 

i.  Yes,  you  are  right,  I  must  confess  the  name  of 
Christ,  compelled  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord. 

Ben  Aruz.  For  all  your  present  welfare  depends 
upon  this  profession. 

/.  All  my  present  and  future  happiness  and  welfare 
depend  upon  it. 

Ben  Aruz.  Courage,  Mr.  Wolf. 

/.  Which  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord,  will  give  me. 

Ben  Aruz.  Hold  him  fast. 

/   I  will  by  his  grace  hold  him  fast. 

Ben  Aruz.  Or  you  lose  yourself? 

1.  Or  lose  myself  for  ever. 

Ben  Aruz.  You  are  a  man  of  great  talent. 

I.  I  am  a  poor  weak  creature,  a  sinner,  who  hopes  to 
be  saved  by  Christ  Jesus,  by  his  blood  ! 

Gabay.  He  neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps,  the  Watch- 
man in  Israel !  (He  said  this  in  Hebrew.) 

I.  He  neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps,  the  Watchman  in 
Israel  !   (I,  in  Hebrew.) 

Gabay.  Hear,  Israel,  the  Lorcl  our  God  is  one  Lord  ! 
(In  Hebrew  again.) 

I.  Hear,  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord — and 
Jesus  is  the  Messiah  ! — (1,  in  Hebrew.) 

Tears  stood  in  the  eyes  of  Gabay,  and  Ben  Aruz  be- 
came more  serious.  No  Jew  has  seen  me,  by  the  grace 
of  the  Lord,  I  hope,  in  a  trifling  spirit.  1  hey  can  al- 
ways observe  my  whole  henrt  in  my  counteuance.'»»- 

7* 


78 

My  love  to  Mr. ,  his  Lady,  and  children.     My 

lundest  compliments  and  thanks  to  all  the  members  of 
the  Jew's  Society.  Your's, 

Joseph  Wolf. 

Mr.  Bailey  is  my  greatest  friend  at  Gibraltar  ;  I  have 
seldom  had  a  friend  who  took  such  a  lively  interest  iq 
my  pursuits  as  he  does. 

1  should  be  very  much  obliged  if  my  Journal  could 
be  printed,  and  copies  of  it  sent  to  Gibraltar,  in  order 
that  the  Jews  may  see  that  I  have  neither  added  nor  tak- 
en away  from  the  conversations  I  had  there  :  and  that 
they  may  see  that  1  have  stated  the  facts  faithfully.  I 
must  observe  this,  that  no  Christian  could  use  other  and 
better  weapons  than  the  greatest  part  of  the  Jews  at 
Gibraltar  use  against  me ;  they  use  the  weapons  of  love, 
and  arguments  for  their  defence  against  me  :  the  most 
respectable  and  the  richest  among  them  shake  hands 
with  me.  Mr.  Nahum  desired  that  1  would  dine  with 
him  ;  he  is  considered  as  the  richest  Jew  after  Ben  Oliel. 

Doctor  Parker  wishes  that  I  should  return  to  Gibral- 
tar in  a  year,  and  visit  Portugal  and  Spain,  where  many 
Jews,  and  especially  many  rich  baptized  Jews  reside, 
whom  I  might  encourage  for  the  Society.  At  Portu- 
gal lives  Mr.  Miranda,  lately  become  a  Christian,  a 
Judge  at  Lisbon.  Lieutenant  Bailey  could  give  you 
all  the  information  you  desire  ;  he  is  a  man  of  great  en- 
ergy, zeal,  and  piety  ;  write  to  him.  Mr.  Cohen,  a 
trup  gentleman,  knows  how  to  break  off  conversations 
about  religion  ;  he  will  not  give  offence  to  any  body. 
I  should  wish  a  large  portion  of  my  Journal  to  be  sent 
to  Lieutenant  Bailey,  who  will  take  care  that  they  shall 
be  distributed  among  tlie  Jews.  The  Hon. Ver- 
non f^hall  speak  with  you  about  this  officer  :  send  him 
ihe  Reports  of  the  Continental  Society. 

Sir,  Gibraltar,  June  13,  1821. 

Mr.  Wolf,  previous  to  closing  his  letter,  has  request- 
ed me  to  write  you  a  few  lines,  to  give  you  my  opinion 
of  his  conduct  herey  which  I  the  more  readily  do,  on  ac* 


79 

count  of  the  zeal  and  exertions  that  he  has  shown. 
Since  his  arrival  he  has  resided  with  me  ;  consequently 
I  may  venture  to  say  more  than  many  can  relative  to 
him.  He  has  certainly  caused  an  inquiry  amongst  the 
Jews  that  never  existed  before,  and  which,  I  trust,  may 
ultimately  open  their  eyes  ; — some  of  them  are  excited, 
particularly  so  ;  but  in  all,  and  every  conversation  Mr. 
Wolf  has  had  with  them,  he  has  come  off  the  conquer- 
or :  his  manners  are  amiable  in  the  extreme,  and  his 
simplicity  must  win  the  heart ; — amongst  the  Jews  he 
is  respected,  more  so  than  I  had  reason  to  expect  he 
would  have  been  :  he  has  met  with  some  trifling  in- 
sult, but  not  of  any  consequence.  My  paper  obliges 
me  to  conclude.  If  I  can  in  any  way  be  useful  to  you, 
or  the  Society  in  England,  I  beg  you  to  command  me ; 
and  believe  me  to  be,  Sir,  your  faithful 

John  William  Bailey. 

Sir,  Madrid,  June  21,  1821. 

As  my  whole  desire  and  earnest  wish  is,  and  was 
more  than  these  forty  years  past,  the  promoting  the 
glory  of  God,  and  the  propagating  the  divine  and  pure 
word  of  life,  the  fountain  of  salvation,  among  all  na- 
tions and  people;  ]  rejoiced  on  hearing  of  your  zeal  on 
the  same  purpose,  and  long  truly  to  be  useful  to  that 
glorious  cause ;  and  although  in  Christ  Jesus  there  is 
no  distinction  of  the  Jew  and  the  Gree'  for  tiiere  is  one 
Lord  over  all,  rich  to  all  that  call  upon  hun  ;  neverthe- 
less, I  sav  with  St.  Paid,  that  1  ha\e  great  sadness  and 
continual  sorr<^w  in  my  heart  for  those  unfortunate  peo- 
ple, to  whom  belongeth  the  adoption  of  children,  and 
the  glory,  and  the  covenant,  and  the  t^iving  ol'the  law, 
and  the  service  of  God,  and  the  prouiises,  whose  are  the 
fathers,  and  of  whom  is  Christ  according  to  the  flesh, 
who  are  broken  ofl*  the  divine  olive  tree  on  account  of 
their  mibelief ;  as  God  is  rich  in  mercy  and  goodness, 
he  may  op^n  their  eyes,  and  may  call  tb<m  to  faith  and 
engraft  them  again  in  their  natural  olive  tree ;  for  I  re- 
•ally  believe,  and  am  entirely  convinced,  that  Divine 
Providence  keeps  the  Jewish  nation  separated  from  the 


80 

rest  of  the  people  of  the  earth,  and  distinguished  from 
all,  known  to  all,  and  acknowledged  by  all  to  be  the 
true  offspring  of  the  Patriarchs  and  Prophets,  to  show 
to  the  V.  orld  his  goodness  and  the  severity  of  his  judg- 
ment ;  and  tfie  day  will  come  when  the  Lord  of  Hosts 
will  turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob,  for  if  their  loss 
was  the  reconciliation  of  the  world,  surely,  their  recep- 
tion into  the  church  of  Christ  will  be  life  from  death. 
For  this  reason,  my  dear  Sir,  I  am  exceeding  glad  to 
hear  that  you  was  pleased  to  send  Mr.  Joseph  Wolf  as 
Missionary  to  JerusaUm  ;  may  God  be  with  him,  and 
make  him  an  instrument,  in  his  divine  hands,  to  con- 
vince and  convert  unbelievers,  and  to  gain  souls  to 
Christ.  Pray  when  you  write  to  him  give  him  my  re- 
membrance, and  let  him  know  that  I  offer  up  my  poor 
prayers  to  the  Almighty  for  his  preservation  and  pros- 
perity in  his  godly  mission,  and  1  wish  that  he  may  be 
like  unto  Joseph  in  Egypt,  a  Saviour  to  his  brethren 
according  to  the  flesh  ;  and  hoping.  Sir,  you  will  par- 
don the  liberty  1  take  in  writing  so  long  a  letter,  and 
at  the  same  time  desiring  your  respectable  answer, — I 
remain,  your  most  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

John  Joseph  Heydeck. 

My  address  is, — A  D"  Juan  Josef  Heydeck,  Professor 
de  Linguas  Orientales,  en  Real  Lolegio  de  Sn  Ysidoro, 
Madrid. 

Gibraltar,  June  15,  1821, 
I  go  on  board  to-morrow  at  five  o'clock. 
Dear  Friend, 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  rich  and  learned  Jews  at  Gibral- 
tar are  more  liberal,  more  candid,  more  ready  to  hear 
and  to  argue  about  the  truth  of  Christianity,  than  those 
among  them  who  are  poor,  both  in  knowledge  and  in 
money;  they  try  only  to  cover  their  bodily  poverty,  but 
do  not  mind,  neither  do  they  know,  their  spiritual  po- 
verty, and  for  this  very  reason  they  cannot  be  blessed 
of  the  Lord,  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven  cannot  become 
theirs.  As  long  as  1  had  to  do  here  witli  Jews  of  pro- 
perty, respectability,  and  learning,  1  had  njuch  comfort 


81 

and  pleasure  ;  they  listened  to  me,  argued,  and  received 
New  Testaments  from  me;  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Croscombe 
and  I  myself,  observed  them  reading  it  in  shops,  and  in 
their  houses,  and  arguing  about  it  among  tliemselves. 
Tliey  wrote  (as  for  instance,  the  excellent  Mr.  Messiah 
did,  who  is  quite  a  gentleman)  their  remarks  upon  the 
tracts  I  gave  them  ;  asked  me  (as  for  instance,  Nahum, 
one  of  the  Presidents,  and  the  learned  Gabay)  to  dine 
with  them  ;  challenged  me  to  write  upon  the  subject ; 
but  as  soon  as  I  began  to  distribute  New  Testaments, 
and  Hebrew  Psalms  of  David  among  the  poor  Moorish 
and  Barbary  Jews,  I  am  sorry  to  say  1  met  with  pieces 
of  the  IVew  Testament,  and  even  of  the  Psalms  of  David, 
in  the  street,  burnt  and  torn  in  pieces,  notwithstanding 
I  gave  only  to  them  who  asked  for  it;  they  shewed  me 
afterwards,  they  themselves  what  they  had  done  with 
it.  As  soon  as  I  offered  the  Book  of  books,  the  word  of 
life,  to  those  wretched  and  bodily  poor  sons  of  Abraham, 
I  was  disappointed;  i  heard  blasphemies  against  Jesus, 
my  Lord  ;  Mr.  Messiah  told  me,  therefore,  he  himself  a 
strict  Jew,  *'  You  are  very  wrong,  Mr.  Wolf,  that  you 
give  books  to  those  wretched  people,  who  will  only 
abuse  you  for  it."  I  said,  *' Friend,  I  must,  as  a  Chris- 
tian, shew  the  way  of  salvation,  even  as  well  to  the  must 
wretched  as  to  the  most  respectable."  Some  exceplloiis 
must  be  made.  Tiie  Jew,  Casetti,  a  Moorish  Jew,  reads 
every  day  the  New  Testament  I  gave  him.  The  ship 
was  to  sail  yesterday;  Mr.  (jabay,  therefore,  wished  to 
have  an  hour's  conversation  before  my  departure;  I 
promised  to  call  on  him,  and  I  said  to  him,  "  Dear 
friend,  I  beg  you  to  read  diligently  the  New  Testament 
and  you  may  believe  me,  friend,  that  1  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  find,  every  day,  more  peace  in  this  belief." 
He  promised  me  solemidy  to  read  the  New  Testament 
with  attention.  I  called  on  him,  and  found  the  New 
Testament  on  his  table,  marked  with  a  paper  which 
shewed  he  had  read  it  to  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke.  He 
said  to  me,  "  If  you  could  have  remained  longer  at  Gib* 
raltar,  we  should  have  read  together  portions  of  the  jVew 
Testament^  and  I  myself  ivould  have,  translated  j^ortions 


82 

of  it  into  more  elegant  Hehreiu.^^  When  I  said  to  him 
that  I  should  embark  at  six  o'clock,  Gabay  said  to  me, 
*'  You  will  see  me  on  board  ;  I  do  not,  therefore,  take 
leave  of  you."  All  my  Christian  friends  at  Gibraltar 
were  surprised  at  the  aiiection  of  that  strict  Jew  towards 
me.  1  have  given  him  a  letter  for  the  Rev.  Mr.  Owen, 
for  he  has  an  intention  of  translating  the  Bible  into  the 
South-Arabic  language  ;  as  he  was  many  years  in  Mo- 
rocco, he  is  perfect  master  of  that  dialect.  I  beg  of  you 
to  press  upon  the  Society,  to  send  to  Gibraltar,  for  twelve 
months,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Solomon.  He  is  a  man  of  much 
solidity,  and  unquestioned  sincerity,  and  they  must  give 
him  power  to  act  with  independency  and  liberty,  so  that 
nobody  at  Gibraltar  should  prescribe  rules  to  him.  It 
would  be  very  well,  as  Gibraltar  is  a  dear  place,  if  Mr. 
Solomon  could  live  in  the  house  of  Lieutenant  Bailey, 
resident  agent  for  transports,  in  whose  house  I  have 
lived  gratis  more  than  four  weeks,  and  who  told  me 
that  1  should  take  his  house  for  my  house,  as  often  as  I 
returned  to  Gibraltar.  He  is  a  great  friend  of  the  cause ; 
he  wentjabout  with  me  to  the  most  respectable  people  oi" 
Gibraltar,  introduced  me  to  Ben  Oliel,  and  so  on. 

I  intended  to  preach  here  publicly  in  the  street  before 
my  departure;  Lieutenant  Bailey  determined  to  stand 
on  my  side,  and  protect  me  against  any  insult  of  the 
mob,  especially  the  Catholics,  which  I  had  to  expect. — 
Yesterday  there  came  to  me  Signor  Enrigo  Chare  della 
Santissima  Trinita,  a  converted  Jew  from  Spain,  t 
asked  him  why  he  turned  Catholic  ^  He  said,  "  He  saw 
by  the  grace  of  God  that  Jesus  was  that  IMessiah  whom 
the  Jews  expect."  I  introduced  him  to  Dr-  Parker,  who 
gave  him  a  Spanish  New  Testament.  He  told  me 
of  Losmentes,  alia  Casa  Nuovo  at  Cadiz,  who  is  a  con- 
verted Jew  residing  in  Cadiz,  and  who  is  very  rich.  I 
am  sure  that  there  would  be  much  to  be  done  in  Spain 
and  Portugal  among  those  Jews  whose  ancestors  have 
been  compelled  to  Christianity.  The  Jews  at  Gibraltar, 
the  honest  Ben  Oliel,  President  Sekerri,  and  Mr.  Cohen, 
told  me,  that  "  the  Jews,  who  are  descendants  of  those 
compelled  Christian  Jews,  are  now  quite  Catholics,  and 


83 

know  nothing  more  of  Judaism.  But  this  is  only  the 
case  in  Spain.  In  Portugal,  on  the  contrary,  they  are 
Jews  in  sentiment,  for  they  enjoy  liberty  of  conscience." 
The  only  Miranda  who  is  Judge  at  Lisbon,  seems  to  be 
a  Christian  in  principle,  and  so  is  Juan  Joseph  Hevdeck, 
at  Madrid,  Professor  of  the  University.  He  was  Rab- 
bi near  Cologne,  in  Germany,  and  was  convinced  by 
the  fifty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah.  He  has  written  many 
books  on  Christianity.  All  these  Jews  could  be  made 
useful  to  the  Bible  Society;  as  they  are  men  of  respec- 
tability and  influence  in  Spain,  they  might  do  great 
things.  Although  I  do  not  know  them  personally,  and 
never  was  in  correspondence  with  them,  T  know  the  dis- 
position and  feeling  of  a  Jew  so  well,  that  I  am  sure  no 
Jew  can  be  such  a  bigotted  Catholic  that  he  should  not 
feel  respect  for  the  promoters  of  the  Book  of  Moses  and 
the  Prophets, — I  mean  the  Bible  Society.  I  have  writ- 
ten to  Juan  Joseph  Heydeck,  to  Madrid,  that  he  should 
write  to  you.  If  you  should  see  Carthosa,  from  Gibral- 
tar, at  London,  recommend  the  Missionary  who  shall  be 
sent  to  Gibraltar,  to  his  attention.  Five  or  six  Catho- 
lic priests  asked  me  two  days  ago  to  go  with  them  to 
their  house  ;  they  brought  me  to  a  dark  room — nobody 
looked  in  my  face — their  manner  of  arguing  was  rude. 
They  began  to  talk  about  the  Pope.  We  used  the 
Latin  tongue.  I  told  them  I  loved  Pius  the  Seventh 
very  much  on  account  of  his  liberality.  One  of  the 
priests  told  me,  unasked  for,  that  he  was  at  Rome  in 
1817  (just  when  I  was  in  the  Propaganda,)  and  knew 
Cardinal  Litta  well.  1  said  to  him,  that  I  had  received, 
after  my  departure  from  Rome,  a  very  affectionate  and 
mteresiing  letter  from  ^  ardinal  Litta.  We  began  to 
argue  about  the  Pope's  infallibility. 

/.  Ecclesia  Gallica  non  credit  Papam  esse  infallibi- 
lem. 

Capvcin.  Ecclesia  Gallicana  credit  minus  quam  debit. 

/.  Quomodo  probas  ? 

Capuciii.  Papa  est  caput  ecclesia?,  ergo  infallibilis 
esse  debet 

/.  Verbum  digito  Domini  scriptum  non  dicit  hoc. 


84 

Capucin,  Nee  tibi  nee  mibi  sacra  scrlptura  data  fuitj 
sed  ecclesiae. 

1  shewed  them  my  indignation  at  such  an  answer,  and 
left  that  horrid  company.  I  would  rather  join  in  pray- 
er with  Mahomedans  than  with  those  priests  of  Baal.  I 
confess  that  I  was  not  at  all  easy  in  their  company,  and 
was  glad  to  come  out  from  them.  They  shewed  me  by 
their  countenance  that  they  hated  me,  and  they  had  most 
surely  consigned  me  to  the  Inquisition  if  it  had  been  in 
their  power.  Some  of  the  Protestant  Christians  here 
fear  that  my  life  is  not  safe  among  the  Jews  ;  but  the 
following  fact  may  prove  the  contrary,  I  went  two 
days  ago  out  of  the  gate  of  Gibraltar  ;  in  returning  to 
Lieutenant  Bailey  I  mistook  the  road  and  came  into  a 
solitary  place ;  I  met  some  Jews,  they  smiled,  and 
brought  me  into  the  right  way.  1  go  alone  into  their 
houses,  and  to  their  synagogues,  and  they  shake  hands 
with  me ;  I  show  myself  very  serious  to  them,  in  or- 
der to  keep  up  that  respect  which  is  necessary  for  me 
among  them. 

If  [  should  not  want  so  much  as  ten  pounds  per  month, 
I  will  apply  it  at  Jerusalem,  to  establishing  an  institution 
for  the  Jews,  and  maintain  a  schoolmaster  for  them  who 
understands  tiie  Lancaster  or  Pestalozzi's  system. 

Joseph  Wolf. 

This  is  the  last  letter  I  shall  write  to  you  from  Gib- 
raltar. 

Sir,  Gibraltar,  June  16,  182L 
I  musT  apologise  for  troubling  you  so  often  as  a 
stranger,  but  Mr.  Wolf  having  made  me  promise  him 
before  his  departure  to  write  to  you,  will,  1  hope,  plead 
my  excuse  in  this  instance  :  he  left  me  this  morning  at 
{we  o'clock.  I  saw  him  ofl',  and,  poor  fellow,  he  was 
much  affected  ;  his  last  words  were,  *'  Write  to  my  pro- 
tector, Mr. ,  and  tell   him  all  you  know  about  me 

and  my  conduct  at  Gibraltar.  Tell  him,  also,  I  go  to 
Jerusalem  with  a  fervent  heart  in  the  service  on  which 
he  sent  me — tell  him,'*  again  he  said,  "  1  will  never  de- 
ceive hiia  in  the  most  trifling  instance  ;"  he  then  bade 


85 

me  adieu.  May  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  bless  and  pro- 
tect him  for  ever  !  He  is,  I  am  persuaded,  a  sincere 
Christian,  and  has  the  cause  at  heart  on  which  you  have 
sent  him.  On  my  return  home,  I  found  a  letter  ad- 
dressed to  me  from  him,  and  1  think  I  cannot  do  better 
than  send  for  your  perusal  a  copy  of  it,  viz. 

Dear  Friend, 

"  I  am  now  going,  and  not  able  to  express  the  in- 
ward feelings  of  my  heart.  You  and  your  Indy  receiv- 
ed me  with  kindness  and  hospitality  equal  to  that  of  the 
patriarchs  of  old.  1  hope  that  the  Lord  will  enable  me 
to  remember  you  and  your  lady  before  a  throne  of 
grace  ;  and  should  we  not  see  each  other  here  again 
upon  this  earth,  I  trust,  by  the  infinite  mercy  of  God,  to 
see  you  and  your  lady  before  the  throne  of  the  Lamb, 
where  no  separation  takes  place  :  I  am  sure  you  will 
pray  for  me  while  I  shall  be  on  the  great  waters,  admir- 
ing the  wonders  of  the  Lord.  Dear  Sir,  although,  I 
hope,  that  I  labour  not  for  the  praise  of  man,  but  for 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  I  nevertheless  would  wish  that 
my  friends  at  London  should  exactly  know  what  I  do  ^ 
allow  me,  therefore,  to  address  to  you  the  following  pe- 
tition, namely,  that  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to  write  by 

the  land   post   to   Mr. ,  about  the  acquaintance  I 

formed  with  Emanuel  Hassan,  who  may  become  useful 
by  your's  and  Dr.  Parker's  directions,  and  tell  him  I 
gave  you  the  name  of  Don  Juan  Joseph  Heydeck,  pro- 
fessor of  Oriental  Languages  at  Madrid,  a  converted 
Jew,  who  become  useful  to  the  Bible  Society  in  Spain. 
Mention  also,  that  I  have  distributed  upwards  of  fifty 
copies  of  the  New  Testament,  as  also  some  Psalters, 
and  upwards  of  one  hundred  tracts,  amongst  respectable 
Jews  at  Gibraltar.     I   know  the  joy  this  news  will  give 

to  Mr.  ,   and   Mr. ,  and  to   the  whole  of  the 

Jews'  Society,  and  it  will  induce  them  to  send  other  la- 
bourers into  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord. 

"  Never,  no,   never,  will  1  forget  the  more  than  bro- 
ther and  sister-like  kindness  you  and  your  lady  exhibit- 

8 


86 

ed  towards  me — may  the  Lord  give  yon  an  exceeding 
great  abundance  of  his  heavenly  peace." 

(Signed)  Joseph  Wolf. 

Believe  me,  Sir,  I  have  not  sent  this  from  vanity  ;  I 
love  the  writer  of  it,  and  thought  it  only  justice  to  send 
it  to  you  whom  it  more  concerns  than  any  other.  His 
observations  are  correct,  and  1  do  think  It  would  be  a 
most  desirable  thing  for  a  man  of  sound  learning  and 
caution  to  be  sent  out  here  amongst  the  Jews.  He  ought 
to  be  a  Jew  himself,  and  well  acquainted  with  the  He- 
brew language,  as  it  is  very  well  understood  amongst 
them  here.  I  much  fear  the  situation  of  Gibraltar  is  not 
duly  appreciated  by  any  of  the  Societies  in  London.  It 
is  a  point  that  cannot  be  too  much  considered ;  more 
particularly  from  the  present  state  in  which  Spain  is. 
An  inquiry  is  daily  made,  and  the  Scriptures  distributed 
in  that  language  considerably.  This  I  pointed  out  to 
the  Hon.  G.  Vernon,  a  few  days  since,  who,  I  believe, 
thinks  as  1  do  ;  should  you  see  him,  1  shall  be  thankful 
if  you  will  mention  how  anxious  I  am  to  receive  the  sup- 
ply of  Bibles  in  all  languages,  he  was  kind  enough  to  say 
he  would  get  sent  to  me — Spanish  Bibles  particularly. 
Permit  me  to  ask  your   kind  assistance  in  this  respect 

also. 

I  have  the  honour  to  subscribe  myself. 

Your  very  faithful  and  humble  servant, 

John  William  Bailey. 

Sir,  Gibraltar,  June  2\,  \82l, 

I  TROUBLE  you  with  this  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Joseph 
W^olf,  who  has  been  sojourning  here  for  a  short  time, 
and  vvho,  when  I  objected  that  i  was  altogether  un- 
known to  you,  replied  that  he  had  mentioned  my  name 
in  a  late  fetter  to  you.  1  therefore  cheerfully  comply 
with  his  wish,  and  feel  much  pleasure  in  assuring  you 
that  his  conduct  here  with  regard  to  his  poor  benighted 
brethren  the  Jews,  has  been  such  as  amply  to  justify  the 
confidence  which  you  and  other  well-disposed  persons 
have  placed  in  liira.     That  your  hopes  and  expectations 


87 

may  be  finally  realised,  through  the  divine  favour,  is 
my  humble  prayer  !  I  can  with  truth  add,  that  the  gen- 
uine Christian  piety  evinced  by  this  gentleman,  his  ar- 
dent zeal  in  the  cause  of  God,  and  especially  in  behalf 
of  his  brethren  after  the  liesh,  and  his  child-like  simpli- 
city of  manners,  liave  rendered  him  an  object  of  pecu- 
liar interest  to  several  persons  licre  capable  of  appreci- 
ating his  worth  ;  and  have  left  an  impression  with  them, 
and  1  would  hope  too  amongst  those  to  whom  his  visit 
was  more  particularly  directed,  which  will  not  speedily 
be  eflaced.  He  sailed  from  hence  for  Malta  on  Monday 
last,  the  16th,  1  am  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  Servant, 

John  Pyne. 

MALTA,  A^ov.  12,  1821. 

I  HAVE  great  pleasure  in  the  honour  of  forwarding 
to  you  the  enclosed,  a  series  of  Mr.  Wolf's  journal,  re- 
ceived some  days  since  by  Mr.  Naudi.  Many  of  his 
friends  here  have  derived  much  interest  in  its  perusal,  and 
think  it  highly  creditable  to  his  missionary  qualifica- 
tions. I  sent  it  for  the  perusal  of  His  Excellency  the 
Governor  Sir  Manley  Power,  to  whom  I  introduced  Mr. 
Wolf,  and  who  showed  him,  when  at  Malta,  every  be- 
coming civility.  Mr.  Wolf  whilst  here  conversed  with 
many  Catholic  priests,  and  gave  tracts  to  them.  He  fre- 
quently visited  a  respectable  Jewish  family  named  P.  to 
whom  also  I  assisted  him  in  procuring  his  introduction 
to  them.  He  conversed  much  with  them  upon  religion. 
He  preached  twice  at  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson's  missionary 
Chapel  on  Sunday  evenings.  Lieutenant  M.  of  the 
90th  regiment,  lately  removed  to  the  Ionian  Islands,  of- 
ten expressed  much  gratitude  to  me  for  Mr.  Wolf's  kind 
attention  to  him,  in  reading  German  with  him  almost 
every  day. 

I  received  a  very  kind  letter  from  Mr.  Wolf,  some 
da^ys  since.  His  spirit,  he  tells  me,  is  still  with  his 
friends  at  Malta.  He  writes  also  not  less  afiection- 
ately  of  his  friends  in  England,  and  most  particular- 
Jy  of  Mrs,  D.  of  Cambridge,  and  the  Rev.  C.  Simeon, 


88 

of  King's  College,  both  of  whom  he  remarks,  would  be 
much  pleased  to  hear  of  him. 

I  have  formed  a  high  veneration  for  his  zeal  and  ami- 
able qualities,  and  feel  a  great  concern  for  his  success 
and  welfare  in  the  arduous  duties  of  his  mission. 

Believe  me,  Sir,  &ic. 

S.  G. 
Dear  Friends, 

Herewith  I  send  to  you  the  copy  of  my  journal. 
De  la  C.  had  the  kindness  to  copy  it  for  me,  for  1  am 
too  much  engaged. 

July  21. — 11  Signor  G.  an  architect,  a  native  Maltese, 
called  on  me,— he  began  to  talk  with  me  on  the  princi- 
ples of  Christianity,  and  told  me,  in  the  most  violent 
way,  that  the  whole  of  Christianity  is  an  imposture  of 
priests.  I  replied  :  You  are  born  a  Catholic,  and  hav- 
ing seen  the  superstition  of  your  church,  you  think  that 
the  true  system  of  Christianity  consists  in  the  supersti- 
tion of  priests. 

/S.  Cr.  T  do  not  believe  in  any  divine  revelation. 

J.  What  reasons  have  you  for  it  ^ 

S.  G.  If  God  had  desired  that  man  should  act  and 
think  after  his  pleasure,  he  could  have  done  it,  and  all 
men  would  be  constrained  to  think  as  he  likes. 

/.  How  should  you,  a  worm,  dare  to  prescribe  a  rule 
for  God,  how  he  should  have  acted  ?  Read  the  Bible, 
and  I  hope  you  will  have  other  views. 

S,  G.  Every  nation  pretends  to  have  a  revelation 
from  God — what  nation  now  is  in  the  right  way  ? 

/,  The  very  circumstance  you  mention,  that  every 
nation  pretends  to  have  had  a  revelation  from  God,  should 
persuade  you  that  there  must  be  some  truth  in  it.  Ex- 
amine, therefore,  the  documents  of  the  several  nations, 
and  read,  1  tell  you  again,  the  Bible. 

5.  G.  The  Bible  is  an  imposture. 

L  You  have  not  read  the  Bible,  and  cannot  prov^  it. 

S.  G.  Volney  proves  it. 

/.  I  do  dot  argue  with  Volney,  I  argue  with  you. 

S.  Gr.  The  world  was  from  eternity  ! 

r.  Prove  it. 


89 

S.  G.  What  would  God  have  done  before  he  created 
the  world  ? 

/.  Will  you  prove  a  thing  by  your  ignorance  ? 

iS.  G.  You  admit  that  God  is  the  soul  of  all  things. 

/.  I  do  not  understand  this  Spinozistical  nonsense,  that 
God  is  the^oii/ofall  things:  he  is  the  Creator  of  all  things. 

<S.  G,  The  word  Barach  in  Hebrew  does  not  signify 
create^  but  make. 

I.  Barach  signifies  nothing,  for  there  is  not  such  a 
word  to  be  found  in  Hebrew.  You  have  heard  some- 
thing, but  not  well, — it  is  harah  and  it  signifies  create  ; 
but  if  I  should  admit  that  it  signifies  7n«^e,  you  told  me 
just  now  that  the  whole  Bible  is  an  imposture,  and  you 
will  prove  your  infidelity  by  the  authority  of  the  Bible. 
I  must  therefore  draw  this  conclusion,  that  you  are  an 
impostor  ;  but  I  tell  you  again  that  KHJi  signifies  create. 
Here  is  the  dictionary. 

S.  G.  I  do  not  understand  Hebrew. 

I.  Then  you  must  not  assert  a  thing  which  you  do  not 
understand. 

S.  G.  Volney  proves  it. 

/.  Volney  is  a  liar  !  prove  to  the  contrary  if  you  are 
able. 

S,  G.  The  Koran  is  better  than  the  Bible. 

I,  You  have  never  read  the  Koran  :  1  know  it — you 
have  never  looked  into  the  Koran. 

»S.  G.  In  the  Bible  is  one  contradiction  after  the  other. 

J.  Here  (I  brought  forth  a  Bible)  shew  me  one  if  you 
are  able.     I  challenge  you  to  shew  me  one. 

»S.  G.  I  will  bring  you  a  book  which  will  prove  to 
you  that  there  are  contradictions  in  it,  for  I  myself  have 
too  much  to  do. 

/.  But  you  must  confess  that  you  have  proved  no- 
thing, and  that  you  will  never  be  able  to  defend  your 
absurdities  by  one  reasonable  proof  My  dear  friend, 
you  are  in  an  awful  state  ;  read  the  Bible,  where  you 
will  find  the  way  of  salvation,  Jesus  Christ — without 
him,  you  will  undoubtedly  perish. 

S.  G.  Why  does  he  not  punish  me,  if  there  is  a  God, 
in  this  moment  f     I  speak  against  him. 

8* 


90 

/.  You  are  punished  in  this  moment,  for  your  con- 
science (I  know  it)  reproves  you,  while  you  are  blasphe- 
ming the  Lord. 

<S.  G.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  blasphemy. 

/.   You  are  a  blasphemer. 

iS.  G.  There  are  many  great  men  who  did  not  be- 
lieve. 

/.  Yes  ;  All  those  who  wished  to  continue  in  an  im- 
moral life.  But  truly  great  men,  as  Sir  Isaac  Newton, 
Hugh  Grotius,  and  Leibnitz,  have  been  believers. 

S.  G,  I  will  come  again,  and  bring  those  books  of 
Volney  and  Voltaire  with  me. 

/,  I  shall  be  very  glad. 

In  the  afternoon  I  went  to  Cohen  the  Jew,  for  whom 
I  have  procured  a  place  in  the  convent  of  the  Francis- 
cans. A  captain  of  a  ship,  a  native  Maltese,  who  is  a 
Catholic  by  persuasion,  and  who  knew  Cohen  when  at 
Tunis,  and  another  Catholic,  were  just  then  with  Co- 
hen. I  began  to  read  the  Gospel  with  Cohen,  and  the 
Captain,  and  the  other  Catholics  listened  with  the  great- 
est attention. 

After  I  had  left  the  convent,  I  went  to  the  Padre  S.  C. 
in  the  very  same  convent  of  tne  Franciscans.  1  was 
surprised  when  he  addressed  me,  "  Signor  Missionario," 
for  I  thought  that  nobody  in  the  convent  knew  that  I 
was  a  Missionario. 

In  the  evening  I  went  to  Mr.  T.  who  now  every  day 
reads  the  Bible  with  his  father,  and  compares  it  with  the 
citations  of  Voltaire,  and  both  find  that  1  was  right  in 
asserting  that  Voltaire  turns  texts  in  his  own  favour, 
without  considering  the  connection.  You  know  that  1 
left  Gibraltar  in  company  with  Lieutenant  T.  He 
brought  forth  his  doubts  during  the  whole  voyage  with 
modesty,  like  an  English  gentleman. 

July  22. — Sunday  evening.  I  preached  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  large  congregation  in  the  church.  The  ser- 
mon lasted  longer  than  an  hour.  The  chief  persons 
who  have  been  present,  have  been  Dr.  G.  with  his  Lady, 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Z.  De  la  C,  Mr.  G.,  Mr.  G.  and  many 
other  gentlemen,  officers  and  soldiers.     I  preached  on 


91 

the  7th  verse  of  the  xivth  Psahn.  1  shewed  fust  how 
the  Lord  carried  on  his  work  of  redemption  by  Abra- 
ham— the  promise  he  gave  to  him — the  mighty  deliver- 
ance of  Israel  out  of  Egypt — the  song  they  sang  at  the 
Red  Sea,  which  is  now  a  part  of  the  worship  of  heaven, 
for  angels  sing  the  song  of  Moses — their  wanderings 
in  the  desert — the  Theocratic  government  established 
among  them — their  kings,  typical  persons  of  Christ, — 
the  promises  given  to  them  by  the  mouth  of  the  pro- 
phets— their  unbelief  in  Christ — their  rejection  from 
God — their  dispersion  among  all  nations,  which  was 
predicted  by  Moses  and  the  prophets.  The  false  Christs 
predicted  by  Christ  himself,  arose  132  years  after  Christ, 
and  A.  D,  1666,  the  first  called  Barkokeba,  the  other 
Skabetai  Zebi  from  Aleppo,  who  deceived  the  people. 
In  the  second  part  1  shewed  the  duty  of  Christians  to 
pray  for  Jews.  I  st.  "  That  it  was  the  spirit  of  the  saints 
to  pray,  and  have  compassion  for  Jerusalem,"  Dan.  ix. 
Nehem.  i.  1 — 4.  ii.  2 — 4.  Paul  to  the  Romans,  "  My 
heart's  desire  is,"  &-C.  2dly.  The  blessing  which  Chris- 
tianity provides,  obliges  us  to  impart  to  our  elder  bro- 
ther what  we  have  received  from  him.  I  shewed  finally 
the  encouragements  from  the  promises  that  that  people 
shall  return — by  examples  of  conversions  of  individu- 
als—by the  proceedings  of  the  London  Society — by 
the  schism  which  is  now  among  Jews.  Some  words  on 
my  own  conversion  I  addressed  sometimes  to  the  Jews 
during  the  sermon  in  Hebrew,  for  Abeaziz  promised  that 
he  would  come. 

July  23.— I  consulted  with  Dr.  K.,  Dr.  G.,  DelaC, 
Dr.  Naudi  and  Mr.  Greaves,  whether  I  ought  not  to 
send  to  Ben  Zimra,  the  chief  of  the  Jews  at  Malta,  who 
told  me  that  I  should  not  come  into  his  house ;  and  let 
him  know  that  I  have  not  taken  Cohen  under  my  pro- 
tection against  his  persecutors,  who  have  taken  irom 
him  his  instruments,  by  which  alone  he  could  be  able  to 
gain  enough  to  pay  his  debts — in  order  that  he  might 
turn  Christian.  And  that  I  would  be  ready  to  commit 
him  to  the  protection  of  Ben  Zimra,  if  he  will  take  him, 
and  give  him  liberty  of  acting  and  thinking,  for  I  nev- 


92 

er  intended  to  convert  men  by  vile  means.  My  propo- 
sal was  approved  by  all  my  friends  ;  and  as  Ben  Zimra 
has  forbidden  me  his  house,  and  has  desired  that  I  should 
not  trouble  him  with  correspondence;  De  la  C.  had  the 
kindness  to  take  upon  himself  to  go  to  Ben  Zimra,  and 
tell  him  this  in  my  name. 

July  24. — 1  made  a  collection  often  dollars,  in  order 
lo  procure  for  Cohen  other  instruments,  that  he  might 
be  able  to  gain  money  and  pay  his  debts.  I  have  com- 
mitted him  to  the  instruction  of  Mr.  Wilson  ;  and  I  shall 
either  have  him  baptized  in  the  Church  of  England,  or 
by  Mr.  Wilson.  My  conscience  does  not  allow  me  to 
commit  him  to  the  Catholics,  for  here  they  are  too  su- 
perstitious. 

De  la  C.  went  to  Mr.  Ben  Zimra,  who  became  very  an- 
gry, and  threatened  to  accuse  me  to  the  Governor  as  a 
disturber  of  their  religion.  He  told  De  la  C.  that  I  was 
once  a  Rabbi,  and  became  Christian  for  money's  sake  ; 
that  I  ought  to  follow  a  better  trade,  and  that  he  would 
not  take  Cohen  under  his  protection.  Dr.  G.  Wilson, 
a  Maltese  merchant,  called  Lachosia,  who  is  to  give 
me  letters  to  liberal-minded  Jews  at  Alexandria,  and 
who  dined  with  me  and  De  la  C,  will  go  with  me  next 
Thursday  to  the  synagogue. 

The  captain  of  a  ship,  whose  name  is  Signor  Fran- 
cesco Allegro,  whom  T  met  at  Mr.  Cohen's,  called  on  me, 
and  desired  a  New  Testament,  which  I  procured  him, 
and  besides  the  New  Testament,  D.  N.'s  Tracts.  Co- 
hen now  in  the  greatest  innocence,  reads  the  New  Tes- 
tament with  Catholics,  who  call  on  him  in  the  convent ; 
and  to-day  a  Catholic  came  to  me,  who  told  me,  that 
that  book  which  1  had  given  to  Cohen  (the  New  Testa- 
ment) contains  good  things.  The  Captain,  Francesco 
Allegro,  knows  many  Jews  residing  at  Tunis;  he  told 
me  that  there  are  more  than  20,000  Jews  at  Tunis.  In 
the  Jewish  street  called  C/iara,  there  are  more  than 
10,000  Jews.  They  have  several  Rabbles,  and  are 
well  educated,  having  received  their  education  in  France 
and  in  Italy.  The  principal  Jews  are,  1.  The  brothers, 
Fortif  quite  young  men.    3.  The  brothers  Cessara.    3. 


93 

Mosaic  Servela,  president  of  the  Jews.  4.  Kait  Leha- 
vi.  5.  Luinbrussa.  6.  The  brothers  Armond.  7. 
Manoel  Mines.  8.  Santilliano,  English  Vice-Consul. 
9.  Moshe  Nunet,  Scrivano  del  Guardian  Gasha.  10. 
The  House  of  Natap.  11.  Enrikes.  12.  Angelo  Fior- 
entino.  13.  GaUila,  one  of  the  richest  Jews.  14.  Kait 
Jusuf.      15.  The  families  of  Franchetti. 

The  Jews  there  speak  Arabic,  Hebrew,  Italian,  Span- 
ish, and  a  few  of  them  speak  French. 

The  same  captain  told  me,  that  it  would  be  well  if 
any  went  to  Tunis  to  the  Jews,  to  have  letters  of  intro- 
duction for  the  Jewish  Consul,  called  Oglander,  (Rich- 
ard) and  for  Mr.  T.  Pearson,  who  has  engaged  a  Jew 
from  Tripoli  for  his  Secretary,  whose  name  is  Halfun, 

July  25. — Signor  Francesco  Allegro  called  on  me 
this  morning,  in  order  to  read  the  Scriptures  with  me — 
and  is  to  bring  other  Catholics  also.  Dr.  Naudi  and  I 
drank  tea  at  Mr.  De  la  C,  we  read  together  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles,  the  xxi.  xxii.  xxiii.  and  xxiv.  chapters. 
We  have  the  intention  of  meeting  once  every  week,  to 
read  the  Scriptures  together,  and  pray  for  Jerusalem's 
salvation.  1  intend  to  read  with  the  monks  in  convents 
at  Malta,  Thomas  a  Kempis,  the  work  of  S.  Franciscus 
Salesius,  and  the  writings  of  S.  Catherine  of  Siera, 
which  all  have  so  much  of  Scripture  truth  ;  and  by  con- 
versing upon  the  subject,  I  hope  by  the  grace  of  the 
Lord  to  bring  them  to  the  Scripture.  My  friends  here 
M.  G.,  de  la  C,  and  Dr.  K.,  have  approved  of  the  plan. 

O  Lord,  I  feel  such  an  emptiness  in  my  own  soul, 
while  1  am  going  about  to  seek  what  is  lost,  and  shew 
them  the  way  to  the  road  of  salvation. — Christ,  come 
and  speak  through  me  to  this  stiff-necked  people! 

July  27 — I  was  introduced  to  xMr.  Abbot,  Consul  at 
S.  Jean  d'Arc.  I  am  told  that  I  was  misinformed  about 
Ben  Oliel's  having  written  against  me  to  Malta,  espe- 
cially as  he  has  given  me  a  letter  of  introduction  for 
Jaffa;  and  the  Consul  himself  told  me,  that  the  Jews  of 
Gibraltar  are  excommunicated  by  the  Jews  in  the  East, 
and  hated  by  the  Jews  at  Malta  on  accouut  of  their  lib- 
erality, and  that  he  therefore  does  not  wonder  that  Ben 


94 

Zimra  and  the  other  Jews  did  not  receive  me  kindly.  I 
am  determined  not  to  go  again  to  the  synagogue  at 
Malta,  as  I  first  intended,  for  it  would  do  no  good,  and 
only  excite  their  passion.  My  friends  here,  such  as  G., 
Dr.  N.,  and  K.,  told  me,  that  I  acted  wisely  in  not  going, 
especially  as  Parienle  received  me  kindly. 

They  tell  me  that  it  is  of  importance  to  tell  you,  that 
if  the  Society  should  send  another  Missionary  to  the 
East,  he  should  neither  stop  at  Gibraltar,  nor  at  Malta. 
My  name  is  now  undoubtedly  known  at  Egypt  and  Je- 
rusalem— but  I  proceed  on  my  journey,  the  Lord  will,  I 
trust,  be  my  Guardian.  It  wouid  be  well  if  1  could  be 
naturalized  as  an  Englishman.  Cohen  is  firm  indeed 
- — I  have  made  a  collection,  and  bought  him  with  the 
money  I  got,  his  instruments  which  the  Jews  had  taken 
from  him — and  that  they  may  not  be  able  to  take  them 
again,  we-lend  him  the  instruments,  as  they  belong  to 
C,  N.,  K.,  G..  and  to  myself,  who  have  given  the  mon- 
ey. I  read  the  Gospel  with  him,  and  pray,  and  take 
care  that  he  labours. 

The  chapel  of  Mr.  Wilson  was  crowded  the  evening 
1  preached.  Mr.  D.  Jlf.,  the  nephew  of  Lord  M.,  was 
present.  He  desires  to  read  the  History  of  the  Jews. 
Lieutenant  T.  has  taken  a  copy  of  my  sermon.  My 
love  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  &c.  k,c. 

Ship  Superha,  one  hundred  miles  distant  from 
Alexandria,  upon  the  Mediterranean. 
Dear  Patron, 
I  MENTIONED  to  you  in  my  letter,  dated  either  23d  or 
24th  of  August,  that  I  had  agreed  witli  Francesco  Zorb, 
captain  of  the   ship   called    Saperba,  to  sail  with  him 
to  Egypt.     I  embarked  on  the  25th  of  August,   in   the 
morning,  at  seven  o'clock ;  my  friends,  Dr.  Naudi,  Mr. 
Greaves,  and  Dr.  K.,  who  had  given,  a  day  before  my 
departure,  a  party  on  my  account,  and  De  la  C,  accom- 
panied me  on  board.     I  mentioned  to  yon  likewise,  that 
Lieutenant-GovernorSir  Manly  Power  has  furnished  me 
with  letters  of  introduction  for  Egypt,  namely,  to  Mr. 
Consul  General  Salt.     I  have  letters  to  Sadik  Gibraltar^ 


95 

a  liberal  Mahomedati,  and  the  Bible  Society  has  fur- 
nished me  four  large  trunks  of  Bibles,  New  Testaments, 
and  Psalters  in  several  languages,  and  has  given  me  the 
key  of  the  trunks,  and  a  letter  of  the  Committee,  written 
by  the  Secretaries  of  the  Malta  Bible  Society,  directed 
very  kindly  to  myself,  in  which  letter  they  give  me  the 
power  of  selling  those  Bibles,  &:c.  at  their  own  account, 
and  to  give  away  gratis;  all  which  they  left  to  m\^  dis- 
cretion, with  respect  to  the  manner  of  distributing  them. 
The  respectable  Jew,  J.  P.,  by  principle  and  education 

a  gentleman,  to  whom  1  was   introduced    by  Dr. , 

became  my  truly  affectionate  friend;  he  never  disputed, 
but  listened  with  attention  when  1  explained  the  Pro- 
pliets  to  him.  His  children  enjoy  a  Gentile  education, 
and  knowverywell  by  heart  the  catechism  of  the  Church 
of  England.  1  drank  tea  with  them  frequently,  and 
told  them  of  the  Rev.  Lewis  Way's  endeavours  for  the 
conversion  of  the  Jewish  nation:  every  Jew  is  amazed 
as  often  as  I  mention  this  fact.  I  tell  them,  "  Imagine 
a  gentleman  who  has  a  noble  income,  and  a  palace  like 
a  prince,  leaving  his  palace,  wife,  and  children,  and 
going  to  the  poor  Jews,  our  brethren,  in  Poland  and 
Russia,  to  persuade  them  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  and 
that  they  shall  come  back  to  their  own  land.  And 
more,  he  went  to  Aix-le-Chapella,  and  spoke  with  all 
the  potentates  assembled,  about  our  poor  bretiiren." 
They  opened  their  mouths  with  astonishment,  and  be- 
came thoughtful.  Now  1  must  mention  you  my  occupa- 
tion upon  the  wide  sea. 

August  25. — 1  took  out  of  my  trunk  the  following 
books:  I.  Hebrew  Old  Testament.  2.  Hebrew  New 
Testament.  3.  Hebrew  Dictionary.  4.  Arabic  New 
Testament  (  alulta  edition).  5.  Jialian  New  Testa- 
ment. 6.  English  Bibles.  7.  Scott's  Answer  to  Crooll. 
8.  The  Golden  Treasury,  by  Bogatzky,  in  English, 
given  to  me  before  my  departure  from  England,  by 
dear  Mrs  D.,  in  which  the  following  verses  delighted 
my  heart: — 


96 


"  Could  I  be  cast  where  thou  art  rn^i 
That  were,  indeed,  a  dreadful  lot  ', 
But  regions  none  re.nain,  I  call 
Secure  of  finding  God  in  all. 
IVly  country,  Lord,  art  thou  alone, 
No  other  can  I  claim  or  own. 

Mrs.  D.  has  written  these  verses  in  the  book  with  her 
own  hand.  Dear  Mrs.  D.,  how  much  spiritual  com- 
munion did  I  enjoy  with  you  !  I  wrote  a  letter  to  my 
beloved  mother  in  Germany,  which  I  send  to  you  to  for- 
ward it.  I  must  give  you  an  extract  of  the  contents  of 
that  letter. 

"  I  am  obliged  almost  every  time  to  write  to  you 
upon  the  wide  sea,  for  during  my  abode  in  a  place,  I 
am  so  much  engaged  and  surrounded  with  friends,  with 
whom  I  consult  about  the  salvation  of  Israel,  that  I  have 
scarcely  a  moment  of  time  to  tell  you,  that  your  son 
loves  you,  and  that  you  never  go  out  of  my  mind  ; 
that  I  am  always  thinking  of  you,  and  am  talking  about 
you  in  company  ;  and  certainly  not  one  yet  has  been 
displeased  that  I  am  often  trying  to  turn  the  discourse 
about  you,  dear  mother ;  and  it  is  true  that  some  smile 
about  it,  but  they  observe  still  in  that  habit  the  burning 
love  of  a  child  towards  his  mother;  and  some  are  moved 
to  tears,  especially  mothers  who  are  not  able  to  kiss 
their  affectionate  children,  for  they  are  in  the  wide 
world  far  from  them,  exposed  to  many  dangers.  Mrs. 
D.  wept  as  often  as  1  talked  with  her  about  you  ;  for 
fourteen  years  are  past,  since  the  sea  has  separated  her 
from  her  son;  no  ship  brings  back  her  Thomason,  for 
he  is  preaching  to  the  poor  Hindoos  remission  of  sins 
by  a  crucified  Saviour,  on  the  river  Ganges  ;  a  business 
too  important  to  be  delayed,  for  we  must  labour  while 
it  is  day,  for  the  night  comes  when  no  man  can  labour, 
and  D.  does  not  wish  that  he  should  leave  behind  starv- 
ing so  many  souls,  especially  as  she  knows  she  will  see 
him  again  there,  where  separation  finds  no  longer  place, 
where  day  is  without  night.*'  After  this,  1  gave  to  my 
mother  a  short  account  of  all  my  operations.     May  the 


97 

Lord  bless  my  letters  to  her,  so  that  when  I  meet  her 
again  in  this  world,  I  may  find  her  upon  her  knees,  ador- 
ing that  Saviour  as  Aer  Saviour,  whom  her  son  adores  as 
his  Saviour,  and  as  the  straight  gate  leading  towards 
heaven . 

The  Jew  from  Jerusalem  was  not  yet  ready  to  go,  and 
did  not  come  with  us;  the  monk  likewise  remained  be- 
hind :  G.  v.,  a  Maltese  servant,  was  one  of  the  passen- 
gers to  Alexandria.  He  was  the  servant  of  J^c,  G., 
Fellow  of  Oriel  College,  Oxford,  on  his  voyage  to 
Syria  and  Cyprus.  1  knew  G.  when  at  Rome.  I  was 
surprised  to  hear  that  T.  C.  from  Alkushi,  whom  we 
both  knew  well  at  Rome,  accompanied  G.  on  his  jour- 
ney to  Aleppo,  Sinai,  and  Jerusalem.  They  have  been 
at  the  convent  upon  mount  Sinai,  where  there  are  many 
monks. 

I  showed  to  the  captain  of  the  ship  Superba,  who  is 
very  kind  to  me,  one  of  Dr.  Naudi's  tracts  on  Redemp- 
tion, and  gave  it  to  him,  which  he  immediately  read, 
and  was  pleased  with  it.  I  gave  others  to  his  son,  and 
to  his  scrivano,  two  to  a  widow  of  a  captain  of  a  ship, 
who  was  servant  in  the  house  of  Mr.  H.,  who  is  returned 
to  England;  she  went  with  her  three  children  to  Mr. 
H.'s  brother-in-law,  the  English  Consul  at  Alexandria. 
1  asked  her,  whether  she  would  have  any  objection  to 
my  teaching  her  children  to  read  during  our  voyage, 
and  she  was  rejoiced  at  the  offer.  1  read  with  her  two 
daughters  passages  of  the  New  Testament  in  the  Italian 
tongue.  The  captain  prayed  the  Rosary  this  evening 
with  all  his  crew,  and  sang  the  Lytania  della  beata 
Virgine,  in  a  tongue  which  they  do  not  understand,  in 
the  Latin  tongue.  After  that  they  had  finished,  1  said 
to  the  captain,  that  1  was  glad  to  be  in  a  ship  where  I 
observed  they  were  all  concerned  for  the  salvation  of 
their  souls — for  I  observed,  indeed,  a  more  than  usual 
devotion  among  them.  I  shewed  him  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  Italian,  and  read  to  him  the  xxvilh  and  xxviith 
chapters  of  the  Acts;  1  observed,  to  my  great  surprise^ 
that  he  kew  almost  the  whole  chapter  by  heart.  He 
complained  of  the   priests   at    Malta,  who  prohibit  the 

9 


98 

pi^ople  reading.     I  have   finished  the  book  of  Judged 
this  evening,  in  Hebrew. 

August  26. — 1  read  to  myselfthe  first  book  of  Samuel 
in  Hebrew,  the  Corinthians  in  English,  and  Voyage  en 
Syrie  et  en  Egypt,  par  C.  F.  Volney ;  taught  the  two 
little  girls;  read  the  iiid  chapter  to  the  Colossians  with 
captain  Zorb.  After  that  I  had  told  him,  my  intention 
was  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Jews,  he  knew  that  I 
was  the  same  person  whose  name  he  heard  mentioned 
by  the  Jews  at  Gibraltar:  he  made  the  observation,  that 
the  Jews  at  Gibraltar  are  strictly  attached  to  their  be- 
lief, but  as  they  are  well  informed,  it  is  an  easy  thing 
to  find  entrance  to  them,  which  is  not  the  case  at  Malta, 
where  they  are  ignorant,  and  therefore  afraid.  Every 
one  on  board  treats  me  with  the  greatest  respect.  The 
captain  told  me,  that  I  might  read  the  Scriptures  with 
him  and  his  sou,  but  not  with  his  crew ;  he  informed  me 
that  the  Jews  at  Salonichi  are  numerous  and  rich. 

Five  o'clock  in  the  evening.  While  the  captain  and 
his  sailors  are  singing  upon  deck,  "Regina  Angelo- 
rum^  ora  pro  nobis  !  tno  filio  nos  reconcilia,  tuo  filio,'' 
&;c,  1  fancy  myself  below  in  my  cabin,  standing  near 
the  Red  Sea,  and  singing  in  Hebrew,  "  I  will  sing  unto 
the  Lord,  for  he  hath  triumphed  gloriously;  the  horse 
and  his  rider  has  he  thrown  into  the  sea." 

August  27. — Little  wind.  1  distributed  tracts  among 
those  sailors  who  knew  how  to  read  ;  there  were  six  who 
read  very  well.  1  continued  to  read  Volney's  Travels, 
Old  and  New  Testament. 

August  28. — More  wind.  Continued  the  reading  of 
the  Old  and  New    Testament,  and  Volney's  Travels. 

August  29. — The  captain  finally  gave  me  permission 
to  read  the  New  Testament  with  the  crew.  [  read  a 
chapter  of  St.  Luke  with  the  captain's  son  and  nephew. 

August  30. — I  read  the  xxviih  and  xxviith  chapters 
of  St.  Matthew  with  the  sailors  of  tlieship,  finished  the 
epistle  to  the  Galatians,  and  the  whole  book  of  Sam- 
uel :  felt  a  hearty  compassion  for  Saul.  1  must  here 
mention,  that  I  read  wheir  at  Maha,  the  speeches  of  the 
members  of  the  Jews'  Society,  with  which  I  was  very 


99 

much  delighted,   for  1  love  that  Society  still,   and  espe- 
dally  Mr.  S.  very  much  indeed  ! 

Now  I  am  approaching,  O  Lord,  ever}?  hour,  every 
moment,  nearer  to  that  country  which  thou  didst  pro- 
mise to  us  bv  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  I  shall 
find  it  desolate ;  thy  holy  city  desolate.  O  Lord, 
incline  thou  the  ears  of  thy  people,  my  brethren^  in  order 
that  they  may  listen  to  me,  and  let  me  listen  to  the  voice 
of  thy  holy  Gospel,  that  I  may  experience  the  power  of 
thy  Gospel  stronger  and  stronger,  and  preach  to  them 
that  word  which  has  changed  my  own  heart,  my  own 
soul.  O  Lord,  may  I  proclaim  thy  name  in  spirit  and 
ill  truth.     Amen, 

The  captain  told  me,  that  we  should  meet  with  the 
Greek  fleet,  I  took,  therefore,  modern  Greek  tracts  out 
of  my  trunk,  in  order  that  1  might  distribute  if  they 
should  come  nearer  to  our  ship;  but  we  met  with  none. 

Sept.  1. — Very  fair  wind.  I  read  the  second  book 
of  Samuel  in  Hebrew,  the  Ephesians  in  English,  and 
the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew  in  Hebrew,  and  marked  with 
the  pen  all  those  prophesies  of  the  Old  Testament  to 
which  the  New  Testament  itself  refers,  for  those  pro- 
phesies are  undoubtedly  the  strongest  which  can  be 
brought  forth  in  arguing  with  a  Jew.  I  read  in  Vol- 
ney's  Travels,  that  in  the  convent  Mar  Hannah  al 
Chouir,  in  the  mountains  of  the  Druses,  there  is,  among 
other  books,  Nar  Allahab,  published  by  Paul  from 
Smyrna,  a  converted  Jew. 

Stpt.  2. — We  met  with  a  brig  coming  from  Alexan- 
dria, it  was  called  the  Superba,  a  sister  of  our  ship  Su- 
perba,  and  belonging  to  the  same  owner,  the  captain  of  the 
quarantine  at  Malta,  captain  Schambray  ;  the  two  cap- 
tains talked  together,  and  I  forwarded  a  letter  from  the 
wide  sea  to  Dr.  Naudi. 

Sept.  3. — VVc  are  only  forty  miles  distant  from  Alex- 
andria, where  all  is  quiet ;  and  no  plague  is  raging  there, 
aG  they  fancied  at  Malta.  The  Pacha  is  in  peace  with 
the  Grand  Seignior.  So  far  written  at  sea  ;  I  will  con- 
liime  to  give  you  the  farther  accounts,  if  God  please, 
from  Alexandria. 


100 

Alexandria,  Sept.  4,  1821, 
This  morning,  at  seven  o'clock,  we  arrived  at  Alex- 
andria. The  Janisary  of  the  English  Consul  came  on 
board  and  asked  for  letters  :  he  took  my  baggage,  bat 
not  my  six  trunks  with  Bibles,  and  I  went  with  him  to 
Alexandria,  where  I  met  to  my  greatest  delight  with  the 
General  Consul  Salt,  who  is  one  of  the  best  informed 
gentlemen  I  ever  met.  Both  Mr.  Lee  and  Mr.  Salt  re- 
ceived me  with  the  greatest  kindness,  and  promised  to 
give  me  letters  of  introduction  for  Cairo.  Mr.  Salt  will 
introduce  me  to  Dr.  M.,  a  Jew  by  birth  and  profession, 
but  an  infidel  in  principle,  who  can  give  me  much  infor- 
mation about  the  Jews  in  Syria,  and  introduce  me  to 
the  Jews  in  Alexandria.  He  is  reckoned  the  most  clev- 
er physician  in  Alexandria,  and  is  often  sent  for  by  the 
Pasha.  He  is  now  writing  the  History  of  Syria,  and  is 
beginning  it  by  proving  that  all  religions  are  false ;  he 
does  not  argue,  but  ridicules  every  thing.  Burkhardt 
mentions  him,  as  1  hear,  in  his  accounts.  Consul  Lee 
will  procure  me  introduction  to  the  Phoenician  Jews 
who  are  residing  in  this  town,  and  who  enjoy  the  pro- 
tection of  the  French  Ambassador,  since  the  time  of  Na- 
poleon's arrival  in  Egypt.  Mr.  Salt  will  farther  intro- 
duce me  to  the  Greek  Patriarch  at  Cairo,  who  pretends 
to  be  the  true  successor  of  St.  Mark,  and  that  his  See  is 
older  than  those  of  Rome,  Constantinople,  or  Moscow  ; 
but  he  is  decidedly  adverse  to  the  Bible  Society.  Is- 
mael  Gibraltar  is  not  in  Egypt,  but  commands  a  fleet 
against  the  Greeks,  and  his  son  Sadik  Gibraltar  is  re- 
turned to  Malta.  1  cannot,  of  course,  be  introduced  to 
those  two  Turkish  gentlemen,  but  Mr.  Lee  will  give  me 
letters  of  introduction  for  Osman,  a  friend  of  the  Pasha. 
The  Pasha  is  at  present  here  at  Alexandria,  with  his 
friend  Jassuf  Boors,  an  Armenian  Christian,  who  is  not 
properly  Prime  Minister,  but  esteemed  as  Prime  Minis- 
ter of  the  Pasha.  Salt  and  Lee  will  introduce  me  to  him, 
and  asked  him  whether  it  may  be  advisable  to  introduce  me 
at  this  critical  time  to  the  Pasha,  or  whether  1  should  pro- 
ceed as  much  as  possible  unnoticed  from  hence  to  Syria  ; 
for  every  step  of  the  Christians  is  now  watched  with  jeal- 


101 

ousy  by  the  Turks  on  account  of  the  Greeks.  Both  of 
them  speak  of  Jowett  and  Burkhardt  with  high  regard. 
Burkhardt  died  a  sacrifice  to  his  zeal,  for  he  exposed 
himself  to  the  heat  of  the  weather  too  much.  O  Burk- 
hardt, O  my  Burkhardt,  I  hope  and  trust  to  see  thee  in 
heaven,  adoring  the  Son  of  God,  for  whose  glory  thou 
diedst.  Salt  told  me,  that  I  shall  find  more  to  do  at 
Cairo  than  at  Alexandria  ;  for  in  Alexandria  almost 
every  Jew  is  provided  with  Bibles,  and  so  are  the  Cath- 
olics ;  neither  of  those  denominations  is  numerous  here. 
Mr.  Lee  advised  me  to  leave  my  Bibles  for  some  days 
on  board,  until  he  has  procured  me  the  license  of  Yus- 
suf,  to  bring  them  on  shore  without  being  opened  at  the 
custom-house.  The  Pasha  is  not  in  rebellion  against 
the  Grand  Seignior  ;  on  the  contrary,  much  attached  to 
him,  and  on  this  account  very  strict  against  foreigners. 
I  met  this  evening  a  Moorish  Jew  in  the  street,  whom  I 
saw  in  the  synagogue  at  Malta  ;  he  looked  kindly  at 
me,  and  said,  "  How  do  you  do  ?"  No  more  for  the 
first  day  of  my  arrival  in  this  place.  Oh  that  the  Lord 
may  be  with  me,  that  I  may  be  enabled  to  write  sincere- 
ly, and  in  truth  in  my  farther  accounts  to  you,  that  the 
Jews  at  Alexandria  have  laid  down  their  arms  of  rebel- 
Jian,  and  worship  him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and 
mourn. 

I  dined  to-day  at  Mr.  Lee's,  in  the  company  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Salt,  (the  latter  is  an  Italian  lady,)  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Lee,  and  the  traveller  Mr.  S.  from  Dorset- 
shire, who  was  at  Jerusalem.  I  was  delighted  to  find 
Mr.  Salt  had  the  same  views  about  the  East,  about  the 
eastern  literature,  and  about  the  great  scholars  of  the 
eastern  language,  who  are  in  Europe  ;  the  same  views, 
I  say,  as  1  have,  to  think  likewise  that  Volney  is  too 
theoretical :  he  agrees  with  me,  that  Niehbuhr's  travels 
are  the  best :  he  will  make  me  a  present  of  Neibuhr's  trav- 
els on  my  arrival  at  Cairo,  where  he  resides.  Mr.  Lee  will 
give  me  Ali  Bey's  travels,  M}'  conversations  with  Mr. 
Lee  are  more  about  the  Missionary  afiairs.  Mr.  Salt 
knew  my  friend  B.  and  Professor  M.  in  Bologna,  and 
A.  at  Rome,  and  my  friend  David  Bailey,  with  whom  I 

9^ 


102 

travelled  from  Turin  to  Geneva  on  my  journey  to  Rome. 
Enough— all  is  well  at  Alexandria,  no  plague,  no  war 
here.  I  take  lessons  in  Arabic  from  the  same  captain, 
who  instructed  Mr.  Jowett. 

I  am,  your's,  &;c. 

Jos.  Wolf. 
P.  S.  I  learn  the  pronunciation  of  the  Coptic  lan- 
guage from  a  Copt  Monk,  at  Alexandria,  by  advice  of 
Mr.  Salt. 

Dear  Friend,  Alexandria,  Sept.  9,  1821. 

I  CONTINUE  to  send  you  the  proceedings  of  my  pre- 
paration for  preaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ  at  Jerusa- 
lem, which  1  intend  to  make  (if  the  Lord  pleaseth)  the 
centre  of  my  publicly  proclaiming  the  name  of  Christ. 

Sept.  5. — The  Secretary  of  the  Austrian  Consul  called 
on  me,   his   name  is  S.  :  he  told  me,  that  Dr.  M.,   the 
Jewish  physician  to  the  Pacha,  to  whom  1  was   recom- 
mended by  Consul   General   Salt,   wished   for  my  ac- 
quaintance.    I  was  exceedingly  glad   to  hear  it.     At 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,   1  was  introduced   by  the 
Dragoman  of  the  English  Consul,  to  the  Catholic  Cop- 
tic Priest,  Padre  M.     He  does  not   speak  one  word  of 
the  Italian  tongue.     Arabic  is  his  only  language  ;  it  is 
his  mother  tongue  ;  he  is  a  school-master  of  boys,   and 
monk  in  the  convent  called  Dir  Almuhallas,  upon  Mount 
Lebanon,  and  was  born  at  Damascus  in  Syria.     1  de- 
sired  him  to  write  for  me  his  character,    name,   and 
native  place  in  Arabic,  which  he  did.     He  was  just  read- 
ing the  work  of  St.  Chrysostom,  in  Arabic,  with  Elias 
S.  from  Bethlehem,  who  makes  the  little  crosses,     i  ask- 
ed Padre  M    whether  he  would  read  and  talk  Arabic 
with  me  two  hours  each  day. 
Padre  M.     With  all  my  heart. 
He  read  with  me  one  chapter  in  the  work  of  St.  Chry- 
sostom, and  then  I  took  an  Arabic  New  Testameut  out 
of  my  pocket.     Elias    Simeon,  the  cross-maker,   from 
Bethlehem,  kissed  it,  as  soon  as  he  perceived  that  it  was 
the  Gospel.     Padre  M.  read  with  me,  and  explained  it 
to  me  in  Arabic. 


103 

I  went  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  in  company  with 
Mr.  S.  the  brother  of  the  Austrian  Consul  residing  in 
Malta,  to  the  Jew,  Dr.  M.  I  met  there  Dr,  H.,  who 
traveh  at  the  expense  of  the  king  of  Prussia.  Dr.  M. 
introduced  me  to  him;  we  sat  down  together  upon  a 
sofa,  and  Dr.  M.  gave  me  a  large  Turkish  pipe  for 
smoking.  The  conversation  was  in  German.  Dr.  M. 
speaks  German  well,  for  he  is  a  German,  born  in  the 
city  of  Goerz,  and  has  been  for  many  years  physican  in 
the  Turkish  army. 

1.  In  what  university  have  you  studied  medicine  ? 

Dr.  M,  At  Vienna,  in  Austria, 

/.  Did  you  know  the  famous  physician,  Peter  Frank  ? 

Dj'.  M.  I  have  been  one  of  his  pupils. 

1.  Are  there  many  Jews  in  the  east,  who  are  physi- 
cians ? 

Dr.  M.  I  do  iTOt  know  of  one  except  at  Salonichi. 

I.  Are  the  Jews  in  this  country  friends  of  science  and 
literature  ? 

Dr  M.  Not  at  all,  yea,  not  many,  friends  of  their 
own  Talmudical  divinity. 

I.  Is  the  Rabbi  at  Alexandria  a  learned  man  ? 

Dr.  M.  Only  middling  in  the  Talmudical  knowl- 
edge, and  ignorant  in  other  sciences. 

1.   How  many  Jews  are  here  .'' 

Dr.  M.  A  hundred  and  fifty  families,  but  all  are  very 
poor,  few  rich,  except  the  Rabbi  Hediya,  Signori  Fua, 
Loria,  and  Tilchi,  Suarez,  the  broker,  Abraham  Cesa- 
na,  and  Serafo,  the  broker.  Signer  Fernandez  was 
baptized,  and  turned  to  the  Catholic  religion,  in  order 
to  marry  a  beautiful  Italian  lady;  he  is  very  rich,  and 
has  business  with  the  Pacha;  but  there  is  a  Jew,  called 
Mirza,  who  lives  at  Cairo,  who  turned  from  principle  to 
the  Catholic  faith. 

/.  What  is  the  state  of  the  Jews  residing  at  Jerusalem  ^ 

Dr.  M.  There  are  there  nothing  but  dervises,  who 
expect  their  Messiah,  who  will  deliver  them  from  their 
wretched  state.  The  Jews  at  Jerusalem  have  pronoun- 
ced an  anathema  against  those  Jews  who  settle  them- 
selves at  Jafla,  for  Jafla  being  a  commercial  place,  they 


104 

fear  all  may  leave  Jerusalem    and   go  to  Jaffa.     The 
most  liberally  minded  Jews  are  at  Salonichi. 

/.  How  many  Jews  are  at  Salonichi  f 

l)r.J\L  More  than  thirty  thousand. 

/.  How  many  Jews  do  you  suppose  are  to  be  found 
throughout  the  dominions  of  the  Grand  Seignior  ? 

Dr.  M.  Do  you  mean  with  the  Barbary  slates  ? 

/.  Without  the  Barbary  states. 

Dr.  M.  Six  hundred  thousand. 

/.  Are  there  Caraites  in  this  country  ? 

Dr.  M.  At  Cairo  sixty  families. 

/.  Those  are  surely  more  reasonable  than  the  Tal- 
mudists,  on  account  of  their  having  rejected  the  Talmud. 

Dr.  M.  O  no,  for  they  have  embraced,  instead  of  the 
Talmud,  another  fanciful  philosophy  and  explanation 
of  the  original  text. 

/.  In  what  does  this  explanation  consist? 

Dr.  M.  I  am  ^ot  very  well  acquainted  with  it. 

1.  How  may  I  be  easily  introduced  to  them  f 

Dr.  M.  I  will  give  you  letters  of  introduction  for 
some  who  may  introduce  you  to  them. 

1.  Have  they  communion  with  the  Talmudist  Jews  ? 

Dr.  M.  No  communion  at  all ;  and  I  think,  indeed, 
that  the  Caraites  are  not  descendants  of  Jews,  for  their 
very  physiognomy  is  entirely  different  from  those  of 
the  Talmudist  Jews. 

/.  Do  you  not  find  a  great  similarity  between  the 
physiognomy  of  the  Jews,  and  the  Christians  upon  the 
mount  Lebanon  ? 

Dr.  M,  Very  true,  indeed,  but  the  Jews  in  Germany 
have  from  year  to  year,  more  of  the  oriental  counte- 
nance ;  this  is  not  the  case  w  ith  the  Italian  Jews. 

I  then  addressed  myself  to  Dr.  H  ,  and  talked  with 
him  for  some  minutes  about  the  German  universities, 
about  magnetism,  which  prevails  in  Germany ;  and  we 
came  finally  in  our  conversation  to  the  Universit3'  of 
Cambridge,  and  then  to  the  institutions  for  Missions. 

Dr.  H.  I  do  not  think  that  the  Missionary  Societies 
will  ever  have  success  either  among  Jews,  Mahomedans, 
or  Heathens,  for  the  Maliomedaa  is  too  much   accus- 


105 

eomed  to  his  ceremonies,    and  the  Jews  too  much  op^ 
pressed. 

1.  We  must  recur  to  facts. — Have  you  read  Henrv 
Martyn's  life,  Schvvarz,  or  the  conversion  of  Ofaheile? 
Have  you  read  the  accounts  of  Moritz  and  Marc,  with 
respect  to  the  Jews  in  Russia  ^  I  know  myself  the  Dr. 
Emanuel  Veith,  Director  of  the  Hospital  at  Vienna,  a 
Jew,  who  for  a  long  time  took  Voltaire  as  his  guide, 
and  is  now  preaching  the  Gospel  at  his  own  expense. 
I  know  the  daughter  and  the  grandsons  of  Moses  Men- 
delsohn, who  are  true  believers  in  Jesus.  And  why 
should  the  power  of  truth  not  prevail  over  some,  that 
by  the  assistance  of  God,  they  may  renounce  their 
worldly  conveniences  and  lusts. 

Dr.  H.  I  cannot  conceive  that  any  body  should  go  to 
the  East,  and  expose  himself  to  such  an  unhealthy  cli-, 
mate,  and  to  so  many  dangers,  for  the  Missionary  cause 
without  being  a  fanatic;  and  especially  to  the  Jews. 

/.  Dear  friend,  you  have  been  sent  by  the  govern- 
ment in  order  that  you  may  acquire  more  knowledge 
in  natural  history,  which  is  very  well ;  but  should  not 
there  be  likewise  some  who  have  pity  on  the  degraded 
state  of  the  Jews  and  Mahomedans,  and  try  to  give  to 
them  some  good,  some  better  things  ? 

Dr.  M.  If  you  would  consider  the  state  of  the  several 
denominations  of  Christians  in  this  country,  who  mur- 
der themselves  before  the  altar,  whilst  Jews  and  Mahome- 
dans live  together  in  perfect  peace,  you  would  no  lon- 
ger make  trial  to  join  Jews  to  their  communion. 

/.  God  forbid  that  I  should  try  to  join  Jews,  my 
brethren,  to  those  Gentiles,  who  only  call  themselves 
Christians  :  this  never  came  into  my  mind  :  my  only  de- 
sire and  wish  is,  to  make  them  acquainted  with  their  holy- 
writ,  and  with  their  Saviour,  in  order  that  they  may  be- 
come a  light  to  enlighten  those  Gentiles,  who  call  them- 
selves Christians,  but  are  not  worthy  of  that  sacred  name. 
From  Zion  must  go  out  the  law,  and  Jehovah's  word 
from  Jerusalem  ! 

Dr.  M.  If  the  government  in  Europe  should  give 
them  privileges,  they  all  would  soon  be  Christians- 


i06 

/.  I  may  tell  you,  that  a  gentleman,  the  ReV.  Lewis 
Way  by  name,  did  travel  to  Berlin,  and  interested  the 
king  of  Prussia  and  all  his  royal  family  for  the  Jews ; 
and  he  went  from  thence  to  St.  Petersburg,  and  inter- 
ested the  emperor  of  Russia  in  the  cause  of  the  Jews  ; 
and  what  is  more,  he  travelled  to  Aix-la-Chapelle,  and 
interested  the  Congress  for  the  Jews. 

Dr.  M.  Could  you  be  so  kind  as  to  give  me  some 
particular  account  of  the  Jews  in  Germany. 

I  told  him  of  the  establishment  of  a  new  synagogue 
at  Berlin,  and  Leipsic,  and  Hamburg ;  about  the  bar- 
onized Jews  at  Vienna  and  Prague,  about  the  schools 
of  Peter  Beer,  at  Prague,  &;c.  Dr.  M.  then  gave  me  the 
account  of  a  Jewish  merchantat  Cairo,  called  Mirza,  who 
turned  Roman  Catholic  from  principle.  I  must  look 
out  for  him,  as  soon  as  I  shall  arrive  at  Cairo.  There 
is  another  Jew,  who  professes  Christianity,  residing  at 
Alexandria,  his  name  is  Fernandez,  but  he  did  it  mere- 
ly for  convenience. 

We  then  turned  our  conversation  upon  some  works 
of  physicians  in  Germany. 

I  can  never  pass  over  in  silence  the  profitable  conver- 
sations 1  enjoy  at  dinner  with  the  British  Consul  Lee,  and 
the  Consul  General  Salt.  Tbey  give  me  information 
about  the  antiquities  and  inscriptions  of  Greece,  espe- 
cially Consul  General  Salt,  in  which,  indeed,  he  seems 
to  be  very  well  skilled.  He  shall  write  to  you  about 
my  proceedings  among  the  Jews  ;  he  has  promised  to 
do  so.  We  conversed  and  admired  likewise  the  great 
Athanasius,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  whence  that  great 
man  was  driven  by  the  horrors  which  the  Arians  com- 
mitted in  the  town.  The  Consul  General  was  glad  to 
learn  from  me,  that  my  beloved  Count  Stolberg  had  so 
well  described  the  lite  of  that  great  bishop  of  the  flock 
of  Christ. 

I  have  spent  to-day  the  fourth  hour,  (for  I  take  every 
day  two)  with  Padre  M.,  the  monk  of  mount  Leba- 
non.    The  conversation  was  as  follows,  in  Arabic. 

J.  You  are  a  schoolmaster  ?  And  what  do  they  leara 
from  you  ? 


107 

Padre  M.  They  learn  their  doctrine :  First,  That 
there  is  one  God,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
God,  was  conceived  of  the  Virgin,  and  suffered  and 
died,  and  rose  again  on  the  third  day^  and  ascended  to- 
wards heaven  to"  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  the  first." 

t  desired  him  after  this  answer,  to  read  with  me  in 
the  New  Testament.  The  merchant  Mosdia  and  other 
inhabitants  of  mount  Lebanon  entered  the  room.  Padre 
M.  asked  me,  Whether  I  knew  what  book  the  Gospel  is  J 

I.  The,  word  of  God. 

Padre  M.  Then  it  is  proper  to  make  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  and  to  exclaim  "  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost." 

I  replied  that  I  am  ready  to  perform  every  thing  which 
the  Gospel  tells  me,  and  showed  him  Rev.  xxii.  18  ;  he 
no  longer  insisted  upon  my  signing  myself  with  the  sign 
of  the  cross.  The  merchant  iatiinated  to  Padre  M.  that 
my  New  Testament  was  after  the  English  translation. 
I  protested  against  it,  and  told  him  tliat  it  is  the  same 
translation  which  was  approved  by  the  council  of  Trent. 
They  were  satisfied  with  my  assertion.  We  read  to- 
gether several  chapters  of  Matthew,  and  after  we  had 
finished,  I  asked  them,  what  was  their  opinion  about  the 
Jews;  whether  they  think  the  Jews  shall  be  converted 
to  the  Lord  ^  The  answer  was.  No  !  I  read,  therefore, 
in  Arabic,  the  ixth — xith  chapters  of  the  epistle  to  the 
Romans.  Mosdia  asked  me,  whether  I  understood  all 
that  I  read  ^  i  replied,  Yes.  He  tried  me,  by  desiring 
me  that  I  should  give  him  a  proof  of  it,  by  translating 
it  into  the  Italian  tongue  ;  he  shewed  his  surprise,  by  ex- 
claiming. Blessed  Lord  !  They  will  give  me  letters  of 
several  convents  upon  Lebanon.  Every  one  of  them 
knows  Lady  Esther  Stanhope. 

t^e.pt.  6,  1821.  The  Jew,  Dr.  M.,  and  the  Natural 
Historian,  Di.  H.,  called  on  me  in  the  English  Consu- 
late. Dr.  M.  gave  me  accounts  of  a  manuscript  of  the 
Pentateuch,  preserved  in  one  of  the  synagogues  at  Cairo, 
which  is  supposed  «o  have  been  written  by  Ezra,  but  an 
anathema  was  pronounced  by  the  Uabbies  at  Cairo, 
against  every  one  who  should  open  the  gate  wherein  it  is 


108 

preserved.  Dr.  M.  told  me  that  he  intended  to  take  it 
out,  but  sickness  prevented  the  execution  of  it.  After 
Dr.  M.'s  and  the  Rabbi's  calculation,  there  are  2000 
Jews  at  Cairo.  The  Jew,  Tiichi,  president  of  the  Jews 
at  Alexandria,  who  is  the  richest  among  the  Jews  in  this 
ancient  place,  assures  me,  that  there  are  not  more  than 
300  Jews  at  Cairo,  and  200  Jews  are  at  Alexandria,  after 
the  calculation  of  Rabbi  Tilchia,  and  of  the  British  Con- 
sul Lee*  A  Polish  Rabbi,  eighty  years  of  age,  resides 
at  Cairo,  to  whom  Dr  M.  will  give  me  letters  of  intro- 
duction ;  and  as  Dr.  M.  is  feared  and  revered  by  every 
Jew  in  the  East  as  a  great  physician,  and  as  physician 
of  the  Pacha,  I  may  hope  to  be  well  received  by  that 
Rabbi  ;  and  thou,  O  Lord,  mayest  inspire  the  heart  of 
that  master  in  Israel  with  an  holy  determination  of 
preaching  thy  name,  and  to  profess  thy  name  in  the  con^ 
gregations  of  Israel  !  Amen  !  Amen  !  let  it  be  so  ! 

Dr.  M.  gave  me  some  information  about  a  manuscript 
of  the  law  of  Moses,  (t^Tin  IDc)  preserved  by  twelve 
Jewish  families  residing  at  Malta,  near  Cairo,  which  is 
supposed  to  have  been  written  a  thousand  years  ago  : 
many  miracles  are  told  of  that  Sepher  Tora.  Many 
Jews  from  Cairo  and  other  places,  perform  pilgrimages 
to  that  Sepher  Tora.  1  addressed  myself  in  conversa- 
tion to  Dr.  H. 

/.  What  is  the  chief  object  of  your  travelling  ?  With 
what  branch  of  knowledge  do  you  intend  to  enrich  our 
native  country,  our  dpar  Germany  ? 

Dr.  H.  The  chief  object  of  my  research  is  natural 
history. 

/.  A  very  important  research.  It  is  worth  while  to 
undertake  labours  and  hardships  in  every  research  which 
tends  to  promote  the  truth. 

Dr.  H.  Quite  true  ;  especially  as  one  of  our  German 
philosophers  says,  "  Those  sciences  will  always  pay  for 
the  labour,  which  are  below  and  nigh  unto  us,  the  phy- 
sical sciences  ;  but  the  enquiry  into  metaphysics  always 
losses  itself  in  the  clouds,  and  we  know  as  little  as  be- 
fore." 

I  understood  Dr.  H.  very  well,  and  was  firmly  deter- 


109 

mined  to  enter  into  an  argument  with  H.  the  gentile,  and 
Dr.  M.  the  Jew  :  I  lifted  up  my  eyes  towards  heaven, 
and  prayed  in  my  heart,  O  Lord,  assist  me  now  to  shew, 
that  the  belief  in  thy  holy  revelation  is  not  an  enquiring 
in  the  clouds.  I  had  now  to  do,  not  with  an  ignorant 
Gronniet,  but  with  men  who  have  studied,  and  are  skil- 
ful in  arguing. 

/.  (To  Dr.  H.)  Where  did  you  study  philosophy  ? 

Dr.  H.  At  Breslau. 

/.  What  is  the  name  of  that  professor  at  Breslau,  who 
gives  public  lectures  in  philosopiiy  ? 

J)r.  H.  Dr.  Stephens. 

/.  Does  not  Dr.  Stephens  follow  the  system  of  Dr. 
Scheliing  ? 

Dr.  H.  Yes  ;  but  I  heard  him  only  for  mere  amuse- 
ment. It  is  true  he  is  a  man  of  great  talent,  but  his 
lectures  often  consist  in  nothing  but  mere  bombastical 
expressions. 

/.  This  is,  alas  !  too  often  the  case  with  teachers  of 
philosophy  in  Germany  ;  but  I  would,  notwithstanding 
all  this,  never  hear  a  lecture  tipon  philosophy,  or  a 
lecture  about  truth,  only  with  the  view  of  merely  amus- 
ing myself;  for  if  we  go  to  hear  about  any  science  for 
our  amusement  only,  we  are  already  prejudiced  and  con- 
ceited, and  thus  we  are  in  great  danger  of  remaining  in 
darkness,  and  believing  ourselves  to  be  wise. 

Dr.  H.  I  do  not  say,  that  in  the  beginning  I  went 
with  the  intention  of  amusing  myself,  but  afterwards, 
"^vhen  I  had  heard  his  pompous  expressions. 

/.  I  know  very  little  of  the  philosophy  of  Scheliing, 
but  I  have  read  a  dissertation  of  his  some  years  ago,  en- 
titled, The  Diety  of  Samothrace,  in  which  there  is  much 
truth,  although  some  parts  remained  to  me  obscure. 
Count  Stolberg  himself,  who  did  not  like  the  system  of 
Scheliing,  acknowledged  the  excellency  of  that  treatise. 

Dr.  H.  Count  Stolberg  was  attached  to  mysticism. 

/.  I  myself  reject  mysticism,  in  a  certain  sense  ;  but 
that  term  being  too  often  used  in  a  diflerent  sense,  I 
should  be  glad  if  you  would  be  so  kind  as  to  tell  me 
what  you  understand  by  mysticism  ? 

io 


110 

Dr.  H.  1  am  ready  to  lay  before  you  the  professian 
of  my  faith,  in  order  that  you  may  understand  what  I 
mean  by  the  word  mysticism.  I  believe  in  the  existence 
of  a  God  who  has  created  the  whole  of  nature,  and  has 
given  a  certain  law  by  which  this  universe  must  be  go- 
verned, but  he  does  not  depart  from  that  law  which  he 
has  laid  down,  and  I  do  not,  therefore,  believe  the  mira- 
cles related  in  the  Bible. 

/.  That  the  Lord  governs  the  world  by  a  certain  law 
which  he  has  laid  down,  concech  majorem,  that  he  does 
not  depart  from  that  law,  without  a  great  design  or  pur- 
pose, concedo  minorem,  but  that  he  does  not  depart  from 
that  certain  law,  even  for  the  execution  of  a  great  design, 
nego  minorem,  ergo  conclusio  tua  est  absurda. 

Dr.  H.  If  he  should  be  obliged  to  alter  that  lau',  he 
would  not  be  omniscient — why  did  he  not  create  all 
things  in  such  a  manner  that  he  never  need  to  suspend 
the  law  of  nature  ? 

/.  You  yourself  must  be  first  of  all  omniscient^  in  or- 
der that  you  may  be  able  to  decide  what  the  Omniscient 
ought  to  do.  Now  it  is  in  his  law  to  alter  the  usual  way 
of  nature,  for  the  execution  of  great  purposes  ;  but  it  is 
very^presumptuous  for  a  creature  who  knows  so  little  of 
the  ususal  course  of  nature,  (for  you  would  not  make  so 
many  great  voyages,  if  you  already  knew  all  the  laws 
of  nature,)  it  is  very  presumptuous  for  sucli  a  creature 
to  ask,   Why  did  the  Creator  act  thus,  and  not  thus  .? 

Dr.  H.  Tlie  existence  of  the  Supreme  Being,  of  the 
Creator,  is  proved  by  the  order  which  we  observe  in  this 
luiiverse  ;  if  such  an  extraordinary  event  as  a  miracle 
should  take  place,  the  order  of  nature  is  destroyed,  but 
God  cannot  be  the  author  o^  disorder  ! 

I.  We  cannot  call  it  disorder,  if  the  Maker  of  the 
world  gives  an  extraordinary  turn  to  nature  which  we  can- 
not conceive  ;  we  have  seen  many  phenomena  in  nature 
which  we  have  not  yet  been  able  to  explain,  and  certain- 
ly nobody  will  therefore  say,  that  such  a  phenomenon  is 
disorder. 

Dr.  M.  God  must  possess  all  the  attributes  in  their 
higljest  perfections,  he  must  be,  therefore,  omniscient  I 
Do  you  admit  this  ^ 


Ill 

/.   Surely,  surely ! 

Dr.  M.  Why  did  he  create  those  men,  of  whom  he 
knew  that  he  must  root  them  out  again  by  means  of  a 
deluG^e  ? 

1.  He  is  omniscient,  he  knows  therefore  why  he  did 
create  them  ;  I  myself,  who  am  not  omniscient,  do  not 
pretend  to  know  the  reason  ! 

Dr.  II.  After  your  system,  we  are  obliged  to  believe 
all  the  miracles  which  t!ie  Hindoos  and  Pagans  relate. 

/.  No  ;  we  must  take  into  consideration  the  tendency 
of  these  miracles.  The  tendency  of  those  miracles  re- 
lated in  Uie  Old  Testament  was,  that  God  will  redeem 
iui  people  Israel  out  of  the  bondage  of  Egypt,  and  that 
God-Jehovah  alone  must  be  adorerl.  The  tendency  of 
tlje  miracles  related  iti  the  New  Testament  was,  to  per- 
suade men  that  Jesus  was  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  who 
should  reconcile  us  again  with  our  heavenly  Father  ;  an 
undertaking  a  promise,  worthy  of  proving,  by  extraor- 
dinary deeds,  the  authenticity  of  it — the  truth  of  it;  that 
he  it  is  who  takes  away  the  sins  of  the  world  ! 

Dr.  H.  After  your  belief  sin  cannot  exist,  for  you 
admit  the  divine  influence  in  every  thing  ;  and  God  can- 
not be  the  author  of  sin — Who  is  the  author  of  sin  f 

I.  Thus  you  see  the  necessity  of  the  holy  history. 
All  men  are  under  the  government  of  God.  Men  should, 
therefore,  be  supposed  to  be  good  ;  but  1  feel  in  my 
heart  a  will  rebelling  against  the  divine  will.  Whence 
does  it  come,  O  Lord,  that  all  my  imaginations  are  so 
evil  every  day,  that  I  rebel  against  the  law  of  God  ? 
Those  who  worship  two  principles  fall  into  the  most 
monstrous  absurdities.  Where  do  1  find  the  origin  of  my 
depraved  nature  satisfactorily  explained  ^  Answer.  1 
open  the  Book  of  books,  and  herein  I  meet  with  the 
following  words  :  "  God  created  man  in  his  own  image ; 
in  the  image  of  God  created  he  him  ;  and  the  Lord  God 
commanded  the  man,  saying,  Of  every  tree  of  the  garden 
thou  mayest  freely  eat,  but  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil  thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it,  for  in  the  day  that 
thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die,''  Eve,  by  the 
serpent's  device,  "  took  of  the  fruit  thereof,  and  did  eat. 


112 

and  gave  unto  her  husband,  and  he  did  eat ;  and  then 
they  knew  that  they  were  naked  ;"  and  from  hence 
came  sin  into  the  world,  of  which  God  is  not  the  author; 
every  •*  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  man's  heart  was 
only  evil  continually  ;  but  thanks  be  unto  the  Lord,  he 
left  us  not  in  despair,  he  promised  that  "  the  Seed  of 
the  women  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head." — Christ 
Jesus,  who  reconciles  us  again  with  God,  through  his 
death. 

Dr.  M.  But  the  Hindoos  have  almost  the  same  tra- 
dition. 

/.  Which  proves  that  this  important  circumstance  ac- 
tually took  place  in  the  world,  or  the  tradition  could 
not  be  so  universal. 

Dr.  M.  I  perceive  that  you  have  studied  the  Hebrew 
tongue  well  (for  I  always  recited  the  texts  in  Hebrew). 

/.  I  should  be  glad  if  we  could  read  together  some 
day  or  other,  a  chapter  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  ;  espe- 
cially the  liiid  chapter. 

Sept.  7. — I  went  to  Dr.  M.  in  the  morning  ;  he  was 
just  engaged  with  his  father-in-law,  in  searching  out  the 
true  sense  of  the  liiid  chapter  of  Isaiah.  He  explained 
it  of  the  children  of  Israel,  who  suffer  for  other  nations; 
with  many  contradictions  he  arrived  at  a  part,  which  he 
confessed  that  he  was  not  able  to  understand.  When 
I  showed  him  the  contradictions  which  I  met  with  in 
Iiis  explanation,  he  replied,  "Contradictions  are  to  be 
found  in  the  Bible."  I  told  him  my  explanation  of  this 
chapter,  and  showed  him  by  it,  that  his  manner  of  in- 
terpreting contained  contradictions,  but  not  the  holy 
writ  itself.  He  showed  me  his  librarj^,  where  I  ibund 
Seneca,  and  Mendelsohn's  Jerusalem.  Dr.  M.  obser- 
ved, '  Seneca  is  my  daily  prayer-book.' 

Sept.  4. — Mr.  Salt  went  on  horseback  with  me  to  the 
burial  ground  of  my  Jewish  brethren.  I  took  with  me 
my  writing-desk,  which  Dr.  Gaisford  has  made  me  a 
present  of,  in  order  that  I  might  copy  the  inscriptions  I 
met  with  upon  the  monument-stones.  We  passed  the 
gate  of  Rosetti :  old  men  sat  with  their  pipes  under  the 
gate ;  one  of  them  read  the  Koran.     1  remembered  the 


113 

t€xt  of  Jeremiah,  ''The  elders  ceased  from  the  gate, 
and  the  young  men  from  their  music."  We  arrived,  af- 
ter an  hour's  ride,  with  our  ass-drivers,  both  Mahome- 
dans,  at  the  burial-ground  of  my  ancestors.  When,  O 
Lord,  shall  these  dry  bones  of  Israel  arise?  when  shall 
I  hear  that  noise  ?  behold  that  shaking  ?  I  was  hardly 
able  to  read  some  few  words  upon  the  stones,  for  they 
were  so  very  ancient.  Some  of  my  fathers  have  already 
slept  there  nine  hundred  years. 

After  my  return  from  the  burial  ground,  I  went  to 
Dr.  M.,  who  is  as  dead  as  one  of  those  who  sleep  in  the 
burial-ground  from  whence  I  just  came — perhaps,  more 
dead. — But,  O  Lord,  it  is  still  time  that  he  may  awake 
out  of  his  spiritual  death,  struck  by  the  power  of  thy 
grace. 

Vr.  M.  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  writing  down  some 
questions  about  the  Jews  in  Syria,  and  Persia,  which  I 
wish  to  hear  answered  by  you  some  day  or  other. 

/.  Does  Polvgamy  find  place  among  the  Jews  in  the 
East.? 

Dr.  M.  Bigamy  very  often. 

/.  Do  they  not  respect  the  anathemas  pronounced  by 
Rabbi  Gerbon  .?  Among  those  anathemas  one  is  against 
bigamists. 

Dr.  M,  The  anathemas  of  Rabbi  Gerson  have  not 
been  universally  accepted  by  the  Jews  in  the  East.  The 
law  among  the  Jews  in  Cairo  is.  Every  husband  prom- 
ises, on  the  day  of  his  marriage,  to  take  only  one  wife, 
but  if  she  should  have  no  children  after  ten  years,  he 
has  a  right  to  take  a  second  wife,  without  sending  away 
the  first,  but  she  has  a  right  to  desire  her  divorce.  He 
has,  likewise,  a  right  to  take  a  second,  in  case  that  the 
first  should  not  have  a  son.  There  are  at  Alexandria, 
after  the  calculation  of  all  the  Jews  whom  I  have  asked, 
only  200  Jews. 

Sept.  9. — I  sent  the  dragoman  of  the  British  Consul 
yesterday  to  J.  I.,  born  at  Jerusalem,  great  Rabbi  of 
Alexandria,  and  primate  of  all  the  Kabbies  throughout 
Egypt.  He  sent  an  answer  by  his  own  servant  to  me, 
stating  that  he  should  be  very  happy  to  form  a  personal 

iO^ 


114 

acquaintance  with  me.  I  went  to  Iiini,  accompanied  by 
the  dragoman  of  the  British  Consul ;  the  old  Rabbi  J. 
sat  upon  a  sofa,  he  gave  me  a  seat  near  his,  a  pipe,  and 
a  cup  of  coffee.  Jeremiah's  Lamentations  lay  before 
him.  1  asked  him  about  the  number  of  the  Jews,  about 
some  famous  Rabbies  in  Germany ;  for  instance,  about 
Ezekiel  Jampli  and  Jonathan  Eubeshiz.  He  knew  them 
all  by  name.  I  read  the  Bible  and  the  Commentary  of 
Rabbi  Solomon  Isaac  with  him  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 
He  was  rejoiced  to  hear  that  I  knew,  when  at  Gibral- 
tar, the  Rabbi  Israel  Nahman,  from  Jerusalem.  When 
I  told  him  that  Rabbi  Israel  Nahman  was  dead,  he  arose 
from  his  sofa,  and  exclaimed,  "  He  only  is  a  judge  of 
truth !"  He  loved  him  very  much  ;  and  he  was  pleased 
when  I  observed,  that  Rabbi  Israel  Nahman  was  more 
learned  than  Rabbi  Leone  at  Rome.  1  asked  him 
whether  he  would  have  time  to  read  the  Prophets  with 
nie  ?  He  replied.  He  was  not  master  of  his  own  time,  for 
as  he  decides  the  judicial  laws  among  the  Jews,  questions 
come  before  hime  very  moment  He  is  to  recommend  me  to 
other  learned  men,  with  whom  I  may  read  the  Prophets 
and  converse.  Rabbi  J.  was  already  informed  of  the 
object  of  my  mission,  and  he  (J.)  will  himself  often  con- 
verse with  me.  I  told  him  of  the  labours  of  the  Rev. 
Lewis  Way;  he  was  surprised  to  hear  them.  I  shall 
next  time  take  Tracts  with  me,  and  speak  with  him 
about  single  passages  of  Scripture. 

Sept.  10. — Consul  Lee  introduced  me  to  the  Danish 
Consul,  who  will  give  me  letters  of  introduction  to  his 
friends  at  Jerusalem.  1  dined  to-day  with  the  Austrian 
Consul  General,  who  will  also  give  me  letters  of  intro- 
duction to  the  Austrian  Consul  at  Aleppo,  Damiat,  and 
Damascus.  Consul  Lee  has  introduced  me  to  Mr. 
Anastasio,  the  Swedish  Consul. 

Sept.  11. — Jacob  Mesicha,  a  blind  Jew,  whom  the 
Rabbi  himself  has  recommended  to  me  as  a  learned 
man,  called  on  me,  guided  by  another  Jew;  I  take  les- 
sons from  him  in  the  Hebrew  conversation,  and  I  begia 
to  talk  fluently.  We  read  together  the  first,  second, 
and  ninth  chapters  of  Isaiah,     He  confessed  that  that 


115 

chapter  speaks  of  Messiah,  but  ^^  is  used  instead  of  V!?. 
I  replied  that  this  is  not  the  case,  and  the  Masora  itself 
does  not  notice  the  circumstance.  He  agreed  with  me, 
that  the  Messiah  must  be  the  Son  of  David,  which  lie 
proved  by  Ps  Ixxii.  19.  His  guide  wrote  the  inclosed 
Hebrew  with  Jewish  Alexandrian  characters,  which  are 
Arabic  and  Spanish.  The  chief  clerk  of  the  synagogue 
likewise  called  on  me  ;  he  was  present  when  I  conver- 
sed with  the  Rabbi;  he  promised  to  introduce  me  to 
many  other  Jews;  his  name  is  H.  S.  They  introduced 
to  me  to-day  a  ,-  Sc  >  a  collector  sent  by  the  poor  Jews 
from  Jerusalem  ;  his  name  is  S.  M.,  who  talks  Hebrew 
very  well.  The  chief  Rabbies  at  Jerusalem  are,  Rabbi 
Jom  Toph  Danum,  and  Israel  Nahman.  The  general 
expectation  of  these  Jews  is,  that  Messiah  must  now 
soon  come. 

Sept.  12  — I  have  been  introduced  to  the  richest  man 
amongst  the  Jews,  who  is  the  chief  rabbi  of  his  own 
synagogue;  he  received  me  with  true  cordial  kindness, 
gave  me  a  seat  by  his  right  hand,  and  introduced  me  to 
his  partner  Fu>i.  They  told  me  that  the  plague  was 
the  reason  of  the  small  number  of  Jews  at  Alexandria 
and  Cairo.  He  told  me,  that  he  has  heard  a  great  deal 
of  me,  and  that  their  Rabbi  esteems  me  highly.  The 
tolerance  of  the  Jews  at  Alexandria,  and  their  liberali- 
ty, is  astonishing.  He  invited  me  to  see  their  syna- 
gogue. 

1  went  in  the  evening  to  Dr.  M.  A  long  argument 
took  place  again  between  D.  H.  and  myself  These  wise 
philosophers  speak  in  a  more  stupid  way  than  an  igno- 
rant Jew ;  they  observed  that  morality  was  not  to  be 
found  in  the  Bible  in  that  perfection  in  which  it  was  to 
be  found  in  the  writings  of  ihe  Greeks.  I  asked  whether 
they  ever  met,  in  the  writings  of  the  Greeks,  with 
'*  Love  your  enemy." 

E.  H.,  the  father-in-law  of  Dr.  M.,  entered  die  room  ; 
lie  told  me  that  he  several  times  asked  the  Doctor,  his 
son-in-law,  what  was  the  reason  that  I  had  not  called  a 
day  or  two  ago.  He  also  told  me,  that  Rabbi  J.  and 
Dr.  M.  called  to-day,   and  spoke  of  me  with  high  re- 


116 

gard.  E.  H.  told  me,  that  he  himself  respects  the  per- 
suasion of  every  one,  and  that  he  loves  Mirz,  at  Cairo, 
for  every  one  knows  that  he  did  not  turn  Christian  from 
worldly  views.  Such  a  testimonial,  given  by  an  old 
Jew,  gives  me  confidence  in  Mirz.  We  talked  on  the 
liiid  of  Isaiah,  and  he  wishes  that  I  should  travel  with 
him  to  Cairo,  which  1  hope  to  do. 

Se2)t.  13. — E.  H.  called  on  me  this  morning,  and  told 
me,  that  his  wife  quarrelled  this  morning  so  much,  that 
he  thought  he  would  come  to  me  to  hear  words  of  peace  ; 
he  told  me  further,  that  his  wife  has  such  a  tongue,  that 
the  whole  Sanhedrim  of  ancient  limes  could  not  silence 
her.  Signor  E.  H.  is  scrivano  to  ti)e  Pacha,  and  is  the 
»nost  respectable  Jew  among  those  of  Cairo;  he  has  a 
white  beard.  He  began  to  talk  with  me  about  the  wis- 
dom of  the  rabbies,  the  moral  principles  of  Rabbi  Sha- 
mai,  who  explained  the  text,  "  Love  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself,"  so  well.  1  took  forth  the  New  Testament,  he 
knew  it  in  a  moment,  and  said  he  had  read  it  in  Hebrew 
and  Arabic. 

iSept.  13. — Distributed  twenty  Italian  tracts  and  thir- 
ty Greek  tracts,  and  gave  orders  to  the  dragoman  that 
he  would  make  it  known  that  I  sell  Testaments,  f  have 
given  twenty- five  tracts  to  the  Greek  merchant,  Deme- 
trio  Theodorite,  lor  distribution  among  the  Greeks.  I 
have  sold  an  Italian  JNew  Testament  to  Lorenzo  Diaco- 
no,  for  five  piastres,  and  given  away,  by  the  advice  of 
Mr.  Lee,  an  Arabic  New  Testament  and  an  Arabic  Psal- 
ter to  Mahomedans.  The  learned  Jew  Mesicha,  who  is 
deprived  of  his  sight  by  ophthalmia,  came  to  me,  and 
argued  with  me  more  than  two  hours  about  the  truth  of 
Christianity.  He  was  rejoiced  to  observe  that  I  did  not 
become  angry,  and  added,  that  the  Turks  would  perse- 
cute him  to  death  if  he  made  any  objection  to  Mahome- 
danism. 

I.  H.  from  Cairo,  the  father-in-law  to  Dr.  M.,  has  sent 
me  a  Hebrew  hymn,  composed  and  written  by  himself, 
and  dedicated  to  the  Rev.  Lewis  Way,  of  whose  love  for 
the  Jews  J  have  told  him  so  much.  [  had  began  to  copy 
it,  but  have  not  had  time  to  finish  it.     The  original  is 


117 

written  in  Jewish-Cairin  characters,  but  very  good  He- 
brew. I  send  it  to  you  for  the  Rev.  Lewis  Wa}^  He 
wishes  that  you,  Mr.  B..  and  the  Rev.  Lewis  Way,  would 
come  to  Cairo  ;  he  is  ready  to  receive  every  one  of  30U 
in  his  house.  I  read  with  Mesicha  and  his  guide,  Isa. 
xi.  liii.  Gen.  iii.  Gen.  xlix.  and  Mr.  B.'s  tracts,  and  the 
first  chapter  of  St.  Matthew. 

Mr.  Salt  has  introduced  me  to  the  Swedish  Consul, 
Mr.  Anastasio.  Mr.  Salt  will  write  to  you  about  me, 
and  he  will  write  to  you  how  I  went  on  at  Alexandria. 
Signor  Giovanni  Koehler  has  bought  a  Greek  New 
Testament  for  five  piastres.  Mr.  Lee  tells  me,  that  I 
must  sell  them  all  at  reduced  prices.  Dr.  H.  has  bought 
for  the  full  price,  a  Persian  and  an  Arabic  New  Testa- 
ment, but  he  has  not  yet  given  me  the  money. 

E.  H.  tells  me  that  he  will  take  care  that  I  shall  sell 
Hebrew  Bibles  and  Testaments  at  Cairo,  for  1  shall  go 
with  him  to  Cairo.  An  old  Jew,  seventy  years  of  age, 
of  a  tall  stature,  and  a  white  beard,  called  on  me  in  the 
Consulate  ;  he  has  brought  his  Bible  with  him,  and  the 
commentary  of  Rabbi  Solomon  Isaac. 

/.  Will  you  be  so  kind  as  to  write  down,  first  of  all, 
your  name  upon  this  paper  ? 

Old  Jew.  I  feel  myself  highly  honoured  that  such  a 
great  man  as  you  should  show  me  so  much  attention. — 
He  then  wrote  it  in  Jewish-German  characters. 

"  Jehiel,  the  son  of  Fiebish,  from  the  land  of  Russia, 
from  the  government  Mohiiev,  from  the  rity  of  Sclof. 
He  resides  now  at  Jerusalem,  waiting  for  the  coming  of 
the  Messiah." 

/.  Have  you  never  heard  of  Moritz,  who  is  preaching 
to  the  Jews  throughout  Russia  ? 

Jehiel.  He  tries  to  prove  to  the  Jews  that  the  Messiah 
is  come,  and  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  received  not  long 
ago,  a  parcel  with  New  Testaments  and  little  tracts, 
sent  to  them  by  a  German,  Jean  D'Arc  ;  the  man  him- 
self did  not  come  to  Jerusalem,  but  atlter  all,  we  have 
heard  of  him  that  lie  was  a  Gentile,  who  did  not  under- 
stand Hebrew,  and  therefore  did  not  come  himself;  but 
we  have  received  letters,  that  a  Jew  who  was  converted 


118 

to  Christianity  will  come  to  Jerusalem,  and  prove  that 
the  I^lessiah  is  come. 

/.  1  am  going  to  Jerusalem. 

Jehiel.  Sir,  none  will  be  converted,  for  we  are  scat- 
tered now  more  than  1700  years  among  all  the  nations, 
persecuted  and  despised,  our  holy  city  destroyed,  and 
1700  years  are  past  in  constant  and  continual  trial  by 
the  Gentiles  to  persuade  Jews  that  Jesus  was  the  Messi- 
ah ;  but  1700  years  are  past,  and  we  firmly  disbelieve  it. 
Jesus  did  perform  miracles,  it  cannot  be  denied,  but  we 
know  what  Moses  said,  "  If  there  arise  among  you  a 
prophet,  or  a  dreamer  of  dreams,  and  giveth  thee  a  sign 
or  a  wonder,  and  the  sign  or  the  wonder  come  to  pass 
whereof  he  spake  unto  thee,  saying.  Let  us  go  after  oth- 
er gods,  which  thou  hast  not  known,  and  let  us  serve 
them;  thou  shall  not  hearken  unto  the  words  of  that 
prophet  or  that  dreamer  ;  for  the  Lord  your  God  prov- 
eth  you,  to  know  whether  ye  love  the  Lord  your  God, 
with  all  your  heart,  and  with  all  your  soul  ;  and  that 
prophet,  or  that  dreamer  of  dreams,  shall  be  put  to 
death,  because  he  hath  spoken  to  turn  you  away  from 
the  Lord  your  God."  (Jehiel  began  to  weep.)  And 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  put  to  death  (this  he  said  with 
the  highest  animation)  by  our  forefathers  justly,  with 
all  his  wonders  and  signs. 

/.  Jesus  was  not  justly  put  to  death,  for  he  did  won- 
ders and  signs,  and  did  not  say,  "  Let  us  go  after  other 
gods,"  on  the  contrary,  he  taught  us  to  address  our- 
selves in  our  prayers,  to  Jehovah  ;  "  Our  Father  which 
art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be"  (not  the  name  of  other 
gods,)  but  "  hallowed  be  thy  name,  thy  kingdom 
come."  He  himself  lifted  up  his  eyes  unto  him.  Jesus 
of  INazareth  was  put  to  death  ;  he  was  cut  off,  but  not 
for  himself;  he  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  liv- 
ing, for  the  transgression  of  the  people  of  Israel.  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  was  that  prophet  of  whom  Moses  said,  "  I 
will  raise  them  up  a  prophet,  from  among  their  breth- 
ren, like  unto  thee,  and  will  put  my  words  in  his  mouth." 

Jehiel.  To  whom  was  the  Messiah  promised  r 

/.  To  Israel. 


119 

Jehiel.  What  have  the  Gentiles  to  do  with  him? 

/.  *'  Gentiles  shall  come  to  his  light,  and  kings  to  the 
l)rightness  of  his  rising  !"  "  And  in  him  shall  all  the 
families  of  the  earth  be  blessed." 

Jehiel    You  have  no  proof  that  he  is  come. 

/.  "  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah,  nor  a 
lawgiver  from  between  his  feet,  until  Sliiloh  come,  and 
unto  him  shall  be  the  gathering  of  the  people."  Gene- 
sis xlix.  10. 

Jehiel.  But  where  may  yon  find  that   he  was   God  .^ 

/.  "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given, 
and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder  ;  and 
his  name  shall  be  called.  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the 
Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of 
Peace."     Isaiah  ix.  6. 

Jehiel.  At  what  time  did  Isaiah  write  that  prophecy  ^ 

I.  Ill  tiie  time  of  Ahaz. 

Jehiel.  (With  a  sigh.)  That  time  was  a  time  of  tribu- 
lation for  the  holy  people.  Ahaz  was  a  wicked  man. 
Tiie  holy  one  (blessed  be  his  name)  sent  his  great  pro- 
phet Isaiah,  to  comfort  his  people,  to  say  it  was  true 
that  Ahaz  was  a  bad  man.  But  unto  us  a  child  is  born, 
(the  child)  unto  us  a  Just  one  is  given,  (Hezekiah  ;)  for 
|j  is  never  said  of  a  bad  man,  and  we  may  therefore 
translate  f^j  (son)  a  Just,  (Hezekiah)  is  given  us,  and 
the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulders,  and  the 
Wonderful,  the  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Ever- 
lasting Father  shall  call  his  name,  the  Prince  of  Peaco. 

/.  It  is  true  that  this  prophecy  was  given  to  Israel  in 
a  time  of  tribulation  ;  but  it  is  a  fact,  that  the  prophet 
did  always  comfort  his  people  in  all  their  troubles,  with 
the  happy  time  of  /Messiah  ;  and,  according  to  the  con- 
struction of  the  Hebrew  language,  that  verse  ought,  after 
your  translation,   to  be  placed  in  this  manner,  Sf    t*;  1") 

hS^  Dnb;^>  i.^-  y^jzh  ^np^  nj;  iSN*  nu^      The  oldest 

translators  translate  it  as  we  do.  p  signifies  nothing 
else  than  Son,  for  Ishmael  was  not  reckoned  among  the 
Just,  and  we  meet  with  the  expression  '^ ,  in  Genesis 
XKvi.  11.     (I  gave  this  answer  after  I  had  looked  out  for 


120 

it,  for  I  have  always  the  Dictionary  and  Concordance 
before  me  ) 

Jehiel    What  do  you  think  that  Jesus  was  ? 

/.   He  was  the  son  of  the  living  God. 

Jehiel.  David  is  likewise  called  the  Son  of  God= 
"  Thou  art  m>'  Son,  to-day  (from  the  time  that  I  have 
anointed  thee  as  king)  have  I  begotten  thee." 

/.  This  is  said  of  the  Messiah,  which  proves  Psalm  ii. 
12,  "  Kiss  the  Son  lest  he  be  angry,  &c."  where  it  is 
said,  that  all  are  blessed  who  trust  in  him,  and  to  trust 
in  David  would  be  idolatry. 

Jehiel.  ^^2  "^p^^  must  be  translated,  Arm  yourself  with 
purity  (righteousness) ;  for  i;^  signifies  in  Chaldee,  only 
Lord.  I  replied  that  we  often  meet  with  Chaldee  ex- 
pressions in  the  Psalms,  even  in  Jeremiah,  and  if  it 
should  be  translated,  "  Arm  yourself,"  it  ought  to  be 
in  Hithpael.  But  I  might  have  answered  a  great  deal 
better;  first,  I  might  have  proved  thafj^s  is  Hebrew  from 
^^"0,  and  we  meet  with  the  expression,  Proverbs  xxxu 
2,  "  What  my  son,  and  what  the  son  of  my  womb  ?" 
where  son  is  called  "j^. 

Jehiel.  Does  Jesus  judge  among  the  nations,  and  re- 
buke many  people  :  have  they  beaten  their  swords  into 
plough-shares  ? 

/.  That  time  will  come  :  but  he  was  first  to  suffer, 
Isaiah  liii.  But  he  shall  come,  he  will  come,  and  will  not 
tarry.  They  shall  first  look  on  him  whom  they  have 
pierced,  and  mourn. 

Vedova,  the  chancellor  of  the  English  Consul,  listen- 
ed awhile  to  our  arguments,  for  my  room  is  close  to  his. 
I  have  bought  a  Hebrew  Spanish  Dictionary,  with  He- 
brew characters,  which  I  send  you  ;  you  may  perhaps 
make  a  present  of  it  to  the  Seminary  at  Stansted. 

Sept.  16. — 1  entered  the  synagogue,  and  left  the  jani- 
sary  outside.  The  whole  congregation  of  my  brethren 
arose,  and  the  young  merchant  M.,  a  relation  of  Dr.  M., 
who  is  Vice  President  of  the  synagogue,  (for  Tilchi, 
his  uncle,  is  President,  u.^i^)  gave  me  a  seat.  He  told 
me  that  Tilchia  himself  was  not  quite  well  j  otherwise, 


121 

he  would  have  come  hhnself  to  the  synagogue  to  receive 
me.  I  observed  there  more  devotion  and  order,  than  in 
the  synagogues  in  Germany  and  Europe.  They  offer- 
ed me  their  prayer  book,  to  look  into  ;  they  use  the  Span- 
ish rite.  The  boys  kissed  my  hand.  M.  went  with  me 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  afterwards,  to  the  other  synagogue, 
where  I  was  received  in  the  same  manner  as  the  first. 
Their  synagogues  were  built  600  years  ago. 

I  asked  tlie  young  merchant  M.  whether  1  might  be  per- 
mitted to  approach  the  Sepher  Thora,  and  read  some- 
thing in  it.  He  told  me  that  we  must  wait  till  the  great- 
er part  of  the  Jews  had  left  the  synagogue,  After  the 
worship  was  over,  every  one  of  the  Jews  shook  hands 
with  me.  I  asked  them  whether  they  would  permit  me 
to  approach  their  sanctuary,  and  see  their  Sepher  Thora. 
Every  one  of  them  consented  to  it.  We  opened  the  sanctu- 
ary, and  they  took  out  the  Thora,  and  I  read  in  it.  I  said, 
This  word  ought  to  be  read  day  and  night,  for  it  is  the 
v;ord  of  God  which  he  gave  by  Moses  upon  the  mount 
Sinai,  under  thunders  an^^  lighmings;  and  vve  ought  to  be 
thankful  to  the  Jews  that  they  have  preserved  this  law, 
and  even  counted  the  letters,  in  order  that  we  may  be 
sure  it  is  the  same  word  which  was  given  to  Moses  upon 
the  hoi}'  mount. 

My  speech  was  half  in  Italian,  and  half  in  Hebrew, 
and  sometimes  in  Arabic.  They  all  applauded  me  for 
what  1  said.  Mr.  S.  a  Jewish  broker,  sent  for  me.  Mr. 
Lee  had  described  Mr.  S.  as  a  very  stiff-necked  Jew,  and 
so  I  found  him. 

J\Ir.  S.  You  act  very  justl}'  and  discreetly,  that  you 
argue  only  with  men  of  understanding. — He  had  in  his 
hand  the  Psalms  of  David  ;  1  showed  him  the  xxiid 
Psalm, 

Mr.  S.  Why  do  you  show  me  this  Psalm  ^ 

i.  It  speaks  of  the  Messiah. 

Mr.  S.  I  tell  you  it  speaks  of  Solomon. 

I.  Solomon  was  never  in  such  trouble  that  he  had 
reason  to  exclaim,  "  My  Lord,  &c." 

Mr.  S,  Our  Messiah  never  dies. 
U 


122 

/.  (in  Hebrew)  *'  He  shall  be  cut  ofi'  out  of  the  land 
of  the  living." 

M7\  S.  This  is  Messiah,  the  son  of  Ephraim. 

/.  The  Messiah,  son  of  Ephraim,  is  not  mentioned  in 
the  holy  writ.  Other  Jews  entered  the  room,  and  Mr. 
S.  therefore  broke  off.  He  gave  me  some  account  of  the 
Jews  at  Salonichi,  and  described  those  Jews  as  the  most 
learned  of  tlie  East.  He  told  me  that  there  are  still 
some  Jews  at  Salonichi,  of  the  sect  of  Shabathai  Zebi, 
especially  two  merchants,  by  name  Molcho  ond  Kordo, 
•who  outwardly  profess  Mahomedanism,  but  they  never 
intermarry  with  Mahomedans  ;  he  told  me,  that  my  ar- 
guments may  convince  the  understandings  of  some,  but 
the  heart  can  only  be  converted  by  God — a  truth,  in 
which  I  agreed  with  him. 

Cesana,  the  banker,  invited  me  to  dinner  ;  I  went : 
he  introduced  me  to  his  two  wives,  to  his  old  uncle, 
Haim  Cesana,  and  to  Signor  Marco,  from  Leghorn. 
Moses  Cesana  said,  that  the  Ixth  chapter  of  Isaiah  speaks 
about  the  Messiah  :  I  agreed,  and  showed  him  the  liiid, 
and  said  to  him  that  chapter  likewise  speaks  of  him,  and 
Gen.  xlix.,  by  which  it  is  clear  that  Messiah  is  come. 

Moses.  What  is  the  object  of  those  English  gentlemen 
in  thus  having  published  the  r '^"^ni"l-*  (the  New  Testa- 
ment) ? 

1.  To  make  the  Jews  acquainted  with  the  principles 
of  Christianity.  Many  Jews  have  read  it,  and  have 
either  been  convinced  by  it,  or  have  stated  their  objec- 
tions to  it,  as  for  instance,  David  Levi  on  ihe  Prophe- 
cies. 

Moses  and  Jew  Marco.  Have  those  Jews  not  been 
punished  who  have  written  their  objections  against  it  ^ 

I.  On  the  contrary,  Ciiristians  are  pleased  to  observe 
such  an  enquiring  spirit  among  the  Jews. 

Moses.  1  shall  read  the  New  Testament. 

/.  I  will  give  you  one. 

1  gave  New  j  estaments  gratis;  I.  To  Cesana ;  2. 
To  his  uncle  ;  3.  To  Isaac  Cesana  ;  4.  To  Marco,  from 
Leghorn  ;  and  two  other  Jews. 

The  Jews  at  Alexandria  are,    according  to  Messrs. 


123 

Gladfor's  and  Lee's  testimonial,  the  most  honest  in  the 
Levant.  They  are  expecting  the  Messiah.  1  do  not  go 
to  Cairo,  but  to  Syria. 

Ruben  came  to  me  and  argued  ;  he  brought  forth 
the  usual  objections  :  he  introduced  me  to  a  Rabbi  from 
Palestine,  who  is  to  recommend  me  to  the  Jews  in 
Saphet.     His  name  is  Masel  Topii. 

I  lodge,  as  you  know,  with  the  British  Consul,  close 
to  the  room  of  Signor  Vedova,  the  chancellor  of  the 
Consul,  a  young  gentleman  who  speaks  Italian,  French, 
English,  Spanish,  German,  and  Latin,  one  of  tlie  most 
amiable  young  gentlemen,  and  very  zealous  to  promote 
every  good  cause.  The  Consul  Lee  leaves  all  to  his 
charge,  for  he  is  considered  as  a  most  excellent  lawyer. 
Bear  it  in  mind,  and  tell  Mr.  B.  of  it.  The  Consul- 
General  Salt  would  give  you  the  best  informatian  about 
him  :  he  is  his  friend.  I  sahue,  with  the  most  affection- 
ate love,  all  my  friends  in  England,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B. 
and  children,  and  the  Kev.  Lewis  Way.  The  Consul- 
General  Salt  has  promised  me  to  write  a  long  letter  to 
you  about  me. 

I  am,  your's,  Sic. 

Joseph  Wolf. 

Carlo,  Sept,  27,  1821,  in  the  British  Consulate. 
My  dear  Patron, 
You  will  have  received  my  letters  written  to  you 
when  at  Alexandria ;  O  that  I  could  begin  my  letter 
with  the  glad  tidings,  that  Jesus  is  become  the  crown  of 
glory  to  Israel !  On  the  2 1st  of  September,  1  left  the 
house  of  Mr.  Lee,  the  British  Consul,  provided  with 
letters  of  introduction  from  Mr.  Salt,  Mr.  Lee,  Mr.  An- 
astasio,  and  the  Danish  Consul,  for  Mr.  Apelin,  Mr. 
Santini,  the  chancellor  of  Mr.  Salt,  and  the  principal 
Jews,  G.  M.  (relatives  of  the  two  iM.'s  at  Alexandria), 
the  Jewish  rabbi,  J.  A.,  the  Jew,  M.  C,  the  Jew  A.,  the 
Jewish  rabbi  C,  and  the  scrivano,  I.  H.,  at  Cairo.  I 
embarked  upon  the  canal  at  Alexandria,  in  the  compa- 
ny of  my  German  servant,  Francis,  and  Mahomed  Ef- 
i^endi,  formerly  called  Mr.   English,  from   Bostbn,  in 


124 

America,  an  officer  in  the  army  of  the  Pasha.  When 
we  arrived  at  Mahmudia,  we  took  another  boat  for  Cai- 
ro. We  had  scarcely  entered  our  second  boat,  vvlien 
the  officers  of  the  custom  house  desired  a  bakhshish 
(present)  from  us;  they  order^^d  us  to  leave  the  boat, 
and  go  to  another.  I  said  to  those  publicians,  sitting 
at  the  receipt  of  custom,  that  I  was  a  friend  of  the  En- 
glish Consul,  and  that  I  was  determined  to  write  to  iiim, 
if  they  insisted  upon  our  entering  another  boat ;  this 
had  effect;  we  proceeded  on  our  journey  without  far- 
ther objection.  Mahomed  Effendi,  (once  Mr.  English,) 
soon  gave  me  his  confidence,  by  telling  me  the  history 
of  his  turning  to  Mahomedanism  from  principle;  he  is 
a  gentleman,  twenty-seven  years  ot  age,  born  at  Boston, 
in  America.  As  a  young  man,  seventeen  years  of  age, 
he  entered  a  college  in  America,  where  he  read  the  wri- 
tings of  Voltaire,  and  became  a  complete  infidel,  but 
thirsting  after  truth,  he  read  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, most  unhappily,  however  together  with  the  wri- 
tings of  the  German  Neologists,  for  instance,  Eichorn, 
Semler,  and  Lessing.  Hence  he  saw  that  Voltaire  was 
not  sincere  in  his  citations,  and  he  became  a  Christian 
in  sentiment;  but  after  a  farther  inquiry  into  the  truth 
of  Christianity,  he  formed  for  himself  the  following  sys- 
tem : — *  The  system  of  original  Christianity  promul- 
gated by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  was  simply  this  :  That 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the  personage  predicted  by  the 
Old  Testament  prophets,  as  the  Messiah :  and  to  prove 
this  to  the  Jews,  they  appeal  to  the  predictions  of  a 
Messiah,  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament.  They  nei- 
ther pretended  to  alter  or  abrogate  the  law  or  the  pro- 
phets, but  were  always  strictly  Jews  in  their  religion 
and  opinions,  excepting  that  they  denounced  and  dis- 
couraged the  extreme  attachment  which  the  Jews  of  their 
time  bore  to  the  traditions  of  the  elders,  which  Jesus  in- 
sisted were,  in  many  instances,  a  corruption  of  the  law; 
and  it  is  clear  from  the  book  of  Acts,  that  they  added 
no  new  article  to  the  Jewish  creed,  except  that  Jesus 
was  the  Messiah.  In  consistency  with  this  we  find,  that 
the  chfirch  of  Jewish  Christians,    established  by   Peter 


125 

and  James,  united  with  their  Jewish  brethren  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  synagogue  and  the  worship  of  the  temple, 
and  that  tlie  church  of  the  Gentiles  founded  by  Paul,  as 
it  appears  from  his  Epistles,  were  taught  by  him  many 
additional  doctrines,  which  the  Jewish  Christian  Church 
did  not  acknowledge,  but  to  which  Paul  endeavoured 
to  convert  them  in  his  Epistles  to  the  Hebrews,  which 
were  addressed  to  the  Jewish  Christians.  It  appears 
further  from  the  New  Testament,  that  the  Jewish  Chris- 
tian church  of  Jerusalem  opposed  these  additional  arti- 
cles of  Paul's  creed,  and  endeavoured  to  persuade  his 
followers,  that  Paul  was  teaching  an  heretical  doctrine, 
as  is  evident  from  the  Episde  to  the  Galatians,  those  to 
the  Corinthians,  and  from  many  other  passages  in  his 
Epistles,  wherein  Paul  endeavours  to  prevent  his  own 
converts  from  being  persuaded  by  these  Jewish  Chris- 
tians, to  abandon  the  doctrine  he  had  taught  them.  In 
consequence  of  Paul's  having  preached  a  doctrine  not 
conformable  to  that  of  the  Jewish  church,  Paul,  on  his 
last  visit  to  Jerusalem,  was  informed  by  James,  the  bish- 
op of  Jerusalem,  that  he  was  held  in  suspicion,  and  dis- 
liked by  the  Jewish  Christians,  and  this  dislike  was 
never  removed;  for  ecclesiastical  historians  testify,  that 
the  church  of  the  Nazarenes,  or  the  Jewish  Christians,  al- 
ways rejected  the  Epistles  of  Paul,  and  denied  his  apos- 
tolical authority.  In  confirmation  of  this  view  of  primi- 
tive ^'..  hristians,  I  (Mahomed  Effendi)  refer  to  Toland's 
Kazarenus,  and  to  Semler's  Paraphrase  of  the  Epistle 
to  the  Galatians,  to  the  work  called  (Jementinus,  pre- 
served in  Cotelerius's  Patres  Apostolic,  and  to  an  epis- 
tle in  that  work,  ascribed  to  Peter,  in  which  Peter  announ- 
ces Paul  as  an  innovator.'  These  are  Mr.  Mahomed 
Effendi's  own  words,  which  I  wrote  down  in  the  boat, 
while  he  had  the  kindness  to  dictate  to  me. 

I  replied.  That  Paul  was  united  with  true  believers  of 
the  Jewish  Christians,  is  clearly  seen  by  Gal.  ii.  9,  for 
James,  Cephas,  and  John,  who  seemed  to  be  pillars  of 
that  church,  gave  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  him 
and     Barnabas;    and    that    Peter    taught    the    same 


126 

doctrine  which  Paul  did,  is  clear  by  Acts  xv.  9,  10,  Pe- 
ter rose  up,  and  taught  that  the  Lord  "  put  no  difference 
between  us  and  them,  purifying  their  hearts  by  faith, 
and  would  not  that  they  should  tempt  God  to  put  a  yoke 
upon  the  neck  of  the  disciples,  which  neither  their  fore- 
fathers nor  they  were  able  to  bear."  And  thus  Paul, 
indeed,  was  right  to  withstand  him  to  the  face,  when  he 
dissembled. 

Mr.  Mahomed  Effendi  desired  to  be  in  correspondence 
with  me,  which  I  hope  he  may  be,  for  he  shows  great 
candour,  and  the  sincerity  of  his  turning  to  Mahomed 
is  not  to  be  doubted.  He  has  written  a  defence  of  Ma- 
homedanisra,  which  is  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Salt,  and 
he  has  told  me,  that  I  may  write  to  Mr.  Salt  at  Alexan- 
dria, to  give  it  to  me,  and  that  he  is  ready  to  renounce 
Mahomedanism,  if  I  can  refute  that  work.  I  told  him 
that  he  should  not  wait  for  my  refutation,  but  that  he 
should  pray  to  the  Lord  for  light  from  on  high.  I  de- 
sired him,  after  his  having  given  me  his  view  of  Chris- 
tianity to  give  me  further  accounts  of  his  turning  to  the 
creed  of  Mahomed.  He  replied,  that  after  he  had  read 
Bishop  Marsh  upon  the  Four  Gospels,  (an  Appendix  to 
Marsh's  Michaelis,)  he  was  persuaded  that  the  Four 
Gospels  were  corrupted,  and  that  they  are  a  compila- 
tion of  lost  documents  ;  and  that  tiie  Gospels  are  not  au- 
thentic. I  interrupted  him,  and  told  him  that  Bishop 
Marsh  himself  seemed  to  have  altered  his  sentiments 
upon  that  subject;  for,  when  I  was  at  Cambridge,  he 
(Dr.  Marsh)  preached  twelve  sermons  on  the  authenti- 
city of  the  JNew  Testament. 

Mahomed  Effendi  continued  ; — The  gospel  of  Mat- 
thew no  longer  exists  in  the  language  in  which  it  was 
originally  written,  as  asserted  by  Papias.  Matthew 
tells  facts,  which  no  Jew  would  have  told.  I  interrupt- 
ed him  again,  and  said,  1  who  am  a  Jew,  am  persuaded 
that  none  but  a  Jew  could  have  written  the  Gospel  of 
Matthew. 

Mahomed  Effendi  continued;  In  Acts  vii.  16,  is  a 
manifest  error,  for  Abraham  bought  not  the  field  from 
Hamor,  but  from  Ephron,  and  Stephen   confuses  the 


127 

field  which  Jacob  bought;  (Gen.  xxxlil.  19.)  I  said  to 
him,  "  O  Lord,  this  siiould  persuade  us  of  the  truth  of 
the  Gospel,  for  this  either  shows  Stephen's  ignorance, 
and  that  he  was  not  one  of  the  learned  ones  ;  or  that  he, 
full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  did  mind  neither  time  nor  place, 
and  tried,  only  tried  to  persuade  the  Jews,  that  "  This 
is  he  that  was  in  the  church  in  the  wilderness,  with  the 
angel  which  spake  to  him  in  the  mount  Sinai."  And 
farther,  this  may  be  a  mistake  of  those  who  copied  it. 
But  those  mistakes  of  chronology  ought  not  to  induce 
us  to  reject  "  the  mystery  of  godliness  ;  God  manifest  in 
the  flesh." 

Mahomed  Effendi  continued  ; — I  read  the  Koran,  I 
was  persuaded  that  it  was  the  Pentateuch  accommoda- 
ted to  the  Gentile,  and  1  embraced  Islamism.  [confessed 
to  him  candidly,  that  I  was  not  able  to  bring  forth  argu- 
ments against  the  Koran,  for  I  had  not  yet  read  the 
whole  of  it,  but  I  would  do  so  on  my  arrival  at  Cairo, 
together  with  his  book  about  Islamism  I  made  to  that 
unfortunate  but  sincere,  and  convinced  renegado  of  the 
most  holy  religion  of  Christ,  a  present  of  Scott's  An- 
swer to  Crooll,  which  he  (Mr.  Mahomed  Effendi,)  after 
he  had  read  it  through  in  one  day,  acknowledged  to  be 
the  most  acute  book  he  ever  read  on  the  subject.  I 
likewise  presented  him  with  Beveridge's  Private 
Thoughts,  and  lent  him  the  memoir  of  my  dear  Henry 
Martin.  He  desires  to  read  Mnracci's  Refutation, 
which  he  has  not  yet  been  able  to  get.  I  desired  him  to 
read  Beveridge's  Views  of  Mahomedanism,  in  his  Pri- 
vate Thoughts  ;  he  did  it  instantly,  and  dictated  to  me 
the  following  reply  to  Beveridge's  Views  of  Mahome- 
danism : — 

Beveridge  says,  "  The  next  religion  that  hath  the 
most  suffrages  and  votes  on  its  side,  is  the  Mahomedan 
religion,  so  called  from  one  Mahomet,  who,  about  a 
thousand  years  ago,  by  the  assistance  of  one  Sergius,  a 
Nestorian  monk,  compiled  a  book  in  the  Arabic  tongue, 
which  he  called  Alcoran." 

Mahomed  Effendi.  Sergius  was  dead,  which  is  pro- 
ved by  Sale  ;  moreover,  though  the  Coraish,  who  were 


128 

opposed  to  Mahomed,  repeatedly  charged  him  that  he 
was  assisted  by  other  men,  for  they  knew  that  he  was  an 
illiterate  man,  they  never  could  show  who  that  person 
was,  so  they  were  obliged  to  say,  that  he  was  assisted  by 
the  devil;  to  which  Mahomed  replied.  This  cannot  be 
true,  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  the  devil  to  teach  men  to 
worship  and  serve  God,  and  work  righteousness,  which 
is  the  whole  drift  of  the  Koran. 

''  As  there  are  many  things  consonant,  so  there  are 
many  things  dissonant  to  the  natural  light  that  is  im- 
planted in  me  ;  as  that  God,  &ic.  &c."  (See  Beve- 
ridge's  Private  thoughts,  p.  1.) 

Mahomed  Effendi  replied,  In  that  chapter,  God  re- 
fers to  the  present  miserable  condition  of  men,  and 
shows  that  he  did  not  originally  create  him  miserable ; 
and  in  proof  of  his  good  disposition  toward  men,  he  ap- 
peals to  the  excellent  things  he  created,  and  has  done  in 
his  behalf;  for  instance,  the  two  most  excellent  fruits, 
the  fig  and  the  olive  ;  what  he  did  in  mount  Sinai,  in 
giving  the  law  to  the  Israelites,  and  the  religion  he  an- 
ciently established  at  the  temple  at  Mecca,  the  territory 
of  security,  by  means  of  Abraham  and  Ishmael. 

'  Th  t  Solomon  discoursed  with  birds  and  devils,  &c. 
&ic.'  (Beveridge.) 

Maliomed  Effendi,  1.  There  is  nothing  impossible 
in  this,  nor  is  it  any  objection  to  a  book  being  a  divine 
revelation,  that  it  relates  something  improbable,  but  not 
impossible.  This  is  allowed  and  argued  by  Jews  and 
Christians  themselves,  whose  sacred  books  contain  many 
things  improbable,  but  not  impossible.  2.  Solomon, 
who  is  related  to  have  been  endued  with  most  excellent 
knowledge  and  wisdom,  might  have  had  conferred  upon 
him  a  knowledge  of  the  sounds  and  actions,  employed 
by  the  higher  orders  of  animals,  to  express  their  senti- 
ments and  feelings,  and  might  have  had  superior  spirits 
subjected  to  his  will,  by  the  grant  of  God.  3  It  is  af- 
firmed by  tradition,  that  Solomon  had  this  knowledge 
and  power,  and  no  man  is  able  to  prove  the  contrary. 

I  confined  myself  for  the  present  moment  to  refuting 
the  answer  to  the  last  proposition  of  Beveridge.     1  said 


129 

thus;  I  admit  entirely,  1.  That  there  is  nothing  impos- 
sible in  this,  he.  2.  I  admit  that  Solomon,  who  is  re- 
lated to  have  been  endued  with  the  most  excellent  know- 
ledge, might  have  conferred  upon  him,  &ic.  1  admit,  3. 
That  it  is  so  affirmed  by  tradition,  namely,  of  the  Tal- 
mud ;  but  lastly  to  your  proposition,  That  no  man  is 
able  to  prove  the  contrary',  1  tell  you  that  I  am  able  to 
prove  the  contrary  in  the  following  manner  :  Although 
Mahomed  has  taken  that  saying,  as  you  yourself  admit, 
from  the  Talmud,  which  is  a  book  full  of  fables,  that 
saying  with  respect  to  Solomon,  might,  notwithstanding 
all  this,  be  true,  and  an  inspired  book  might  receive 
into  its  pages,  sayings  and  stories  from  an  uninspired 
book.  But  no  book  which  pretends  to  be  of  a  divine 
origin  ought  to  pollute  its  pages  with  a  tale  which  sprang 
out  of  a  false  interpretation  of  a  Scriptural  text.  The 
rabbles  misunderstood  1  Kings  iv.  33,  where  it  was  said, 
*'  He  spake  also  of  beasts,  and  of  fowls,  and  of  creeping 
things,  and  of  fishes."  The  Talmud  translated  this 
text,  "  He  spake  also  with  beasts,  and  with  fowls,  &tc." 
by  which  it  is  clear,  that  this  tradition  is  false  and  ab- 
surd, and  thus  the  falsity  of  the  Koran  is  proved.  Ma- 
homed Effendi  blushed,  and  said,  that  he  had  spoken 
nonsense  in  havnig  said  that  Mahomed  took  that  tradi- 
tion from  the  Talmud  ;  he  received  it  by  divine  inspira- 
tion, and  the  tradition  itself  was  not  only  to  be  found 
in  the  Talmud,  but  in  other  Christian  writers  of  the 
East. 

I.  Borrowed  from  the  Talmud.  I  have  seen,  when 
a  member  of  the  Catholic  church,  how  much  Christians 
have  taken  from  Jews.  I  will  not  detain  you  with  the 
answer  of  Mahomed  Effendi,  to  the  other  propositions 
of  Beveridge,  I  will  leave  it  for  another  time,  for  the 
Jews  are  the  chief  object  of  my  pilgrimage  upon  earth, 
and  become  daily  more  so  ;  I  haste,  therefore,  to  give 
you  some  accounts  of  them  ;  but  I  must  tell  you  what  I 
said  lastly  to  that  sincere  apostate;  'Dear  Mahomed 
Effendi,  I  am  a  Jew,  and  being  acquainted  with  Christ, 
i  know  wiiat  great  mercy  the  Gentiles  have  experienced 
by  liaving  been  received  as  children  of  God,     Oh  !  thai 


130 

I  could  embrace  you  again  as  a  brother  in  Christ  Jesas 
our  Lord,  our  Redeemer,  our  God  above  all  blessed  for 
ever  !  Surely,  I  love  you  ;  but  Christ  it  is  who  enables 
me  to  love  you,  a  Gentile  and  an  apostate  from  that 
name  which  I  adore,  and  having,  therefore,  experienced 
how  mighty  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is,  1  wish  that 
you  should  come  to  him  like  a  lost  sheep  to  his  good 
Sheplierd,  who  neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps  day  or  night. 
It  is  true,  we  cannot  reconcile  every  word  in  his  divine 
revelation  ;  but,  we  are  likewise  unable  to  reconcile 
many  things  in  this  universe,  and,  notwithstanding  all 
our  ignorance,  we  perceive  thai  this  universe  is  universe. 
Why  do  you  try  to  reconcile  all  things  in  the  Gospel — 
as  you  perceive  it  so  beautiful.^  He  desired  to  be  in 
correspondence  with  me,  and  is  ready  to  renounce  Ma- 
homedanism,  if  1  can  convince  him  ;  he  confesses,  that 
be  perceives  1  am  really  impressed  by  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel.  I  began  to  read  the  Gospel  to  Mahomedans, 
who  were  on  the  deck  of  our  little  Nile-ship.  An  c»ffi- 
cer  exclaimed,  full  of  anger,  '  Allah,  ula  illah  Allah  ! 
(There  is  God,  and  but  one  God  !)  and  continued  to  ex- 
claim, '  Anad  Islam  Alrasul,'  (I  profess  the  doctrine 
of  the  prophet)  1  shut  the  Gospel,  and  began  to  talk 
with  him  on  other  subjects.  The  rest  of  the  Arabs  pre- 
sent were  quite  passive.  Mahomed  Eflendi  told  me, 
that  he  never  in  his  life  was  so  much  alarmed,  as  when 
he  heard  the  Turk  make  the  profession  of  his  faith,  for 
he  thought  he  would  have  cast  me  into  the  Nile. 

Sept.  24,  1821. — We  arrived  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  at  Pulaka,  near  Cairo.  I  put  my  trunks  with 
Bibles,  and  my  baggnge  upon  camels;  Mahomed  Ef- 
fendi  arranged  the  whole  matter  for  me,  and  we  sat 
upon  asses.  All  the  roads  were  filled  with  camels. 
"  The  multitude  of  camels  shall  cover  my  Jerusalem, 
dromedaries  of  Midian  and  Ephah." 

I  am  now  in  that  very  Egypt,  where  my  ancestors 
were  afflicted.  I  am  in  this  very  Egypt,  whence  God 
called  his  beloved  Son,  w  hen  they  were  dead  which 
sought  the  young  child's  life. 


131 

Mr.  Santini,  the  chancellor  of  Mr.  Salt,  for  whom 
Mr.  Salt  gave  me  a  letter,  received  me  very  kindl}',  and 
gave  me,  according  to  the  request  of  Mr  Salt,  the  same 
room  in  the  consulate,  which,  according  to  Mr.  Osman's 
account,  Mr.  Jowett  occupied  on  his  arrival.  Mr.  S. 
introduced  me  the  next  day  to  Mr.  Asselin,  who  told 
me,  that  the  Jews  at  Cairo  are  too  ign  3rant,  too  super- 
stitious, and  too  obstinate,  to  talk  with  me  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Christianity  ;  but  the  Lord's  thoughts  are  not  as 
man's  thoughts  ;  the  Lord  is  he  who  governs  the  heart. 

The  Lord  brought  the  poor  and  the  babes  from  the 
city  to  the  mountain,  to  his  only  begotten  Son,  to  hear, 
that  blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit:  In  one  word  ;  the 
house  of  Mr.  Salt  is  full  of  Jews  of  the  first  respecta- 
bility and  learning,  who  talk  with  me  about  the  impor- 
tant doctrine,  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ.  On  our  leaving 
Mr.  Asselin,  Mr.  Santini  and  I  met  with  the  respectable 
Jew,  G.  M.  Mr.  Santini,  the  chancellor,  infroduced  me 
to  him.  I  delivered  to  him  the  letter  of  his  brother,  at 
Alexandria.  G.  M.  promised  to  introduce  me  both  to 
theRabbinist  Jews'  and  to  the  ('araites. 

Sept.  27,  IS21. — I  was  introduced  by  the  Jew  G.  M., 
to  the  respectable  Jew  M.  from  Ragusa,  whose  ac- 
counts of  the  Jews  at  Ragusa,  were  the  same  which 
Lucenza,  at  Malta,  had  given  me.  To  the  Jew,  Mr.  M.  C. 
who  seems  to  be  selfish,  and  to  the  Jew,  M.  B.,  and  o*.lier 
Jews,  I  gave  Old  and  New  Testaments  in  Hebn'w,  Tre- 
mellius's  Catechism-  and  tracts.  Having  no  courage  to 
ask  money  from  the  Jews,  I  gave  to  them  without  money 
and  without  price,  and  by  these  above-mentioned  Jews, 
I  was  introduced  into  their  synagogues.  1  hey  were  just 
celebrating  their  Rosli-Hashshana  (beginning  of  the 
year ;)  and  they  gave  me  the  first  seat,  near  the  presi- 
dent of  one  of  the  synagogues,  whose  name  is  Mr.  A. 
He  is  a  rich  young  gentleman,  who  has  been  a  long  time 
in  France.  Mr.  E.  H.  H.,  who  had  received  a  letter 
about  me  from  his  father,  touched  his  head,  and  did 
swear  that  he  would  give  me  letters  of  introduction  for 
Rabbi  J.  A.  from  Poland,  who  is  returned  from  Cairo 
to  Jerusalem.  This  manner  of  swearing,  explains  the 
words  of  our  Lord,  Matt.  v.  36,  "  Neither  shalt  thou 


132 

swear  by  thy  head."  When  I  entered  the  synago^uej 
the  ladies  left  their  seats,  and  entered  the  synagogue 
where  the  gf?ntlemen  were  assembled,  c^nt  of  curiosity  to 
see  me. 

Sept.  27, 1821. — I  went  again  to  another  synagogue  at 
Cairo,  (for  there  are  ten  synagogues  there)  after  the 
worship  was  over.  I  dined  with  the  Jew,  E.  H.  I.,  and 
M.  C.  introduced  me  to  the  first  high-priest  of  the  Caraite 
Jews,  and  to  their  president ;  there  are,  according  to 
the  calculation  of  the  high- priest,  159  families  at  Cairo. 
Surely,  the  ancestors  of  these  Caraites  seem  not  to  have 
been  guilty  of  the  blood  of  our  Saviour. 

I  shall  always  regret,  that  I  was  introduced  to  them 
by  their  deadly  foes,  the  rabbinists,  or  talmudisi  Jews  ; 
for  while  the  good-natured  high-priest  of  the  Caraites 
and  their  president  were  busied  in  exhibiting  towards 
me  and  their  deadly  foes,  all  the  honour  imaginable,  by 
presenting  to  us  fruits  from  mount  Sinai,  and  while  the 
high-priest  of  the  Caraites  repeatedl}^  observed  to  me 
and  his  deadly  foes,  "^'-^^  ^'  t  ')1Z  l^^Ii»  *  VVe  are  all  chil- 
dren of  one  father,'  the  rabbinist  Jews,  who  introduced 
me  to  these  amiable  Caraites,  tried  to  prejudice  me,  in 
the  Italian  tongue,  against  them.  Dear  Caraites  ;  hold 
fast  the  U'ord  of  God  !  you  will  be  finally  redeemed  of 
the  Lord  !  Amen.  1  showed,  visibly,  my  disapprobation 
of  this  double  minded  conduct  of  the  rabbinists.  The 
Caraite  high-priest  and  their  president  then  went  with 
us  to  their  synagogue,  but  we  were  obliged  to  leave  our 
shoes  outside  the  synagogue,  which  they  keep  very  clean 
indeed,  and  1  myself  was  obliged  to  leave  my  boots  at 
the  gate.  They  showed  me  their  Torah,  and  another 
manuscript  146  years  old,  written  with  golden  letters  at 
the  beginning  of  every  chapter,  in  the  manner  the  Turks 
used  to  write  their  Koran.  I  shall  go  again  to  the 
Caraites,  accompanied  by  the  dragoman  of  the  Consul. 

1  have  been  introduced  to  the  chakem  (wise)  M.,  who 
is  first  high  priest  of  all  the  Jews  at  Cairo,  as  the  Greek 
patriarch  has  over  tie  Greeks;  be  settles  all  worldly 
disputes  among  them.  He  received  me  with  a  kindness 
which  I  did  not  expect :  he  introduced  me  to  his  eldest 


133 

son,  who  lives  at  Jerusalem,  and  is  one  of  the  numerous 
rabbies  at  Jerusalem,  for  Jerusalem  is  at  present  more 
the  seat  of  learning,  than  it  ever  was.  Chakam  M.  told 
me  that  he  is  in  correspondence  vtith  the  primate  J.  I.  at 
Alexandria,  and  with  the  rabbies  at  Aleppo  and  Constan- 
tinople. I  made  the  observation  that  .the  time  must  be 
very  nigh  that  Messiah  will  come. 

jVI.  Do  you  believe  in  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  ? 

/.  I  should  not  be  a  true  believer  in  the  law  and  the 
propiiets,  if  1  did  not  believe  that  he  will  soon  come,  and 
that  tiie  walls  of  Jerusalem  will  be  built  again.  The 
Jews  crowded  themselves  round  me,  and  exclaimed,  in 
Arabic,  *Tayib!'  (Well!) 

M.  Do  you  not  oelieve  that  he  has  already  come  t 

I.  I  should  not  be  a  true  believer  in  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  if  I  did  not  believe  that  that  very  Messiah,  who 
will  come  again,  has  already  arrived,  and,  according  to 
Daniel,  has  been  cut  oil",  but  not  for  himself;  and  after 
he  was  cut  off,  the  Prince  came  and  destroyed  the  city 
and  the  sanctuary  :  Jesus  C  hrist  was  that  Messiah  who 
was  cut  off.  (I  began  to  recite  in  Hebrew,  *'  He  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  he  was  bruised  for 
our  iniquities,"  after  this  the  Romans  came  and  destroy- 
ed the  city  and  the  sanctuary. 

M.  I  like  to  converse  with  you,  for  you  are  a  man  of 
talent.  It  is  true,  the  time  in  which  Messiah  ought  to 
have  appeared,  is  elapsed  ;  many  are,  therefore,  of  the 
opinion  that  Shabathai  Zcbi  was  Messiah  Ben  Joseph, 
and  he  was  to  be  lulled. 

/.  First,  Shabathai  Zebi  arrived  a  long  time  after  the 
weeks  fixed  by  Daniel.  Secondly,  The  Messiah  is  de- 
scribed as  a  Just  One,  upon  whom  the  spirit  of.the  Lord 
should  rest,  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  &;c. 
'1  his  cannot  be  applied  to  Shabathai  Zebi,  for  the  whole 
world  knows  he  turned  Turk. 

I  was  exceedingly  touched  when  thefirst  high-priest  of 
Cairo  asked  me  whether  he  might  take  the  liberty  of 
calliui!  on  me  in  the  consulate.  I  replied,  that  his  visit 
would  afford  me  the  greatest  pleasure  upon  earth.     He 

12 


134 

told  me,  he  should  be  very  glad  if  1  would  attend  his 
sermon,  which  1  did. 

]Mr.  E.  I.  H.,  scrivano  to  his  highness,  Messrs.  M.  C. 
and  M.  B..  negociants,  then  went  with  me  to  Mr.  S.  F.,  a 
Jew,  who  has  property  to  tlie  amount  of  12,000  piastres, 
two  wives,  "  ornamented  (as  they  expressed  themselves) 
like  two  princesses,"  and  children;  many  Jews  crowded 
in  his  house  to  see  me,  and  to  hear  me  expound  the  pro- 
phets from  the  Hebrew  into  Italian,  and  tlje  psalters 
from  the  Arabic  into  Italian.  Rabbi  S.  WlJna,  a  young 
vice-rabbi,  from  Jerusalem,  who  is  also  an  engraver 
upon  rings,  a  very  amiable  young  gentleman,  talked 
with  me  in  Pohsh  German.  He  was  reading  the  Old 
Testament. 

/.  This  book  affords  us  true  wisdom  and  consolation, 
if  we  read  it  with  prayer  and  devotion,  and  a  teachable 
spirit. 

Rabhi  S.  Do  you  believe  in  this  word  ^ 

I.  With  all  my  heart. 

Rabbi  S.  1  will  tell  you  a  mashal  (parable.)  Once 
there  was  a  great  king  ;  that  king  had  a  son  who  loved 
him  very  much,  and  obeyed  him  in  every  thing,  and 
presented  one  day  two  rings  to  iiis  fatlier,  with  which 
the  king  was  very  much  delighted  ;  but  the  king  had 
likewise  a  servant  who  loved  him  also,  and  made  him 
a  present  of  one  ring  :  the  king  was  pleased  with  the  af- 
fection of  his  servant;  but  he  observed,  1  perceive,  not- 
withstanding all  this,  the  difference  between  a  servant 
and  a  son  ;  my  son  presented  to  me  two  rings,  my  ser- 
vant, on  the  contrary,  only  one  ring.  We  Jews  are  that 
son  of  the  king;  we  present  to  Hakadosh  Baruch  Hu, 
(to  the  Holy  one,  Blessed  be  He,)  two  rings,  i.  e.  our 
faith  in  the  Thorah,  and  our  faith  in  the  Talmud,  but 
you  Christians  are  that  servant,  and  you  present  to  him 
only  the  belief  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  reject  the 
Talmud. 

/.  The  Thorah  says  to  ns  expressly,  '  Ye  shall  not 
add  unto  the  word  which  I  command  you,  neither  shnll 
ye  diminish  from  it ;  from  this  I  conclude,  that  we  are 
not  allowed  to  believe  in  the  Talmud. 


135 

Rahhl  S.  I  am  but  a  poor  scholar,  and  consequently 
cannot  enter  into  disputes ;  but  I  will  give  you  (God 
willing)  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  rabbi  j\l.  VV.,  who 
is  one  of  the  most  learned  men  at  Jerusalem,  and  who 
was  a  pupil  of  the  late  rabbi  Elias  W.  of  blessed  memo- 
ry. 1  will  also  give  you  a  letter  to  rabbi  S.,  who  is  not 
only  a  scholar,  but  likewise  knows  the  polite  world ; 
they  are  bodi  more  able  to  dispute  with  you  than  my- 
self, and  will  be  ready  to  argue  with  you  as  long  as 
you  please. 

I  was  very  much  touched  by  his  sincerity,  and  began 
to  talk  upon  other  subjects.  He  promised  to  give  me  a 
room  in  his  house,  on  my  arrival  at  Jerusalem.  I  pre- 
sented him  with  a  Hebrew  Bible,  a  Hebrew  New  Testa- 
ment, and  a  Hebrew  Psalter,  not  having  the  courage  to 
ask  money  from  Jews  for  the  Bibles. 

[Here  follows  a  list  of  respectable  Jews  to  whom  Mr. 
W    gave  old  and  New  Testaments  and  Tracts  gratis.] 

To  the  patriarch  of  the  Copts,  to  whom  [  was  intro- 
duced by  the  dragoman  of  the  consul,  and  who  received 
nie  very  kindly,  I  gave  two  Arabic  New  Testaments, 
and  one  to  his  secretary.  I  placed  two  Armenian  Bi- 
bles and  ten  Arabic  Testaments  in  the  hands  of  the  same 
man  whom  Mr.  Jowett  employed  to  sell  Bibles;  he 
brought  me  five  dollars  and  eight  piastres  for  them. 

Sept.  29,  1821. — I  attended  the  sermon  of  the  high- 
priest  M. ;  rabbi  M  ,  J.  N.,  banker  to  the  pasha,  S.  F., 
and  A.,  called  the  princes  of  the  Jews  at  Cairo,  and 
three  rabbles  from  Jerusalem,  arose  when  [  entered  the 
synagogue,  and  made  their  bow,  which  I  returned. 
The  rabbi  M.  gave  me  the  Bible  in  my  hand,  and  show- 
ed me  the  text  from  which  he  was  to  preach.  It  was  2 
Sam.  xii.  7 — 11.  The  rabbi  then  mounted  the  pulpit, 
and  said  with  a  loud  voice,  that  he  should  speak  the  Aia- 
bic  and  Spanish  very  distinctly,  on  my  account.  Tlioy 
gave  me  a  seat  in  the  midst  of  the  most  learned,  who 
interrupted  the  sermon  of  their  rabbi,  by  repeating  his 
words,  and  by  exclaiming,  '  Tayib  !'  Tayib!'  (Well! 
well !)  1  was  not  able  to  understand  much,  for  the 
Arabic  and  Spanish  were  a  mixture  of  Hebrew,  Turk* 


136 

isb,  Spanish,  and  Arabic.  After  the  sermon  was  over, 
they  explained  to  me  the  whole  of  it.  Rabbi  M.  namely, 
tried  to  reconcile  the  sentence  of  the  Talmud,  that  no- 
body should  dare  to  say  that  David  had  sinned,  with 
the  text  of  the  Thorah,  which  expressly  tells  us,  that 
David  has  sinned,  It  was  nonsense.  After  the  sermon 
was  over,  signor  S.  F.,  one  of  the  principal  Jews,  invited 
me  to  dine  with  him  ;  he  also  invited  other  Jews  to  meet 
me.  The  principal  Jews  who  dined  with  us  were,  Mr. 
N.  from  Ancona,  rabbi  S.  VV.,  vice-rabbi  at  Jerusalem, 
and  an  engraver,  Mr.  F.  from  Livorno,  who  read  in  the 
Gospel  the  whole  night,  after  I  gave  it  to  him.  He  in- 
tends to  travel  at  his  own  expense,  and  go  and  persuade 
other  young  men  to  embrace  Christianity,  and  then  to 
go  to  his  relations  in  London,  who  are  already  baptizedp 
and  profess  Christianity.  He  is  a  respectable  nego- 
ciant,  rich,  of  a  lively  temper,  and  speaks  Italian,  Span- 
ish, and  Hebrew.  He  has  given  me  the  names  of  libe- 
rally minded  Jews  at  Leghorn.  I  will  mention  to  you  ihe 
others  who  dined  at  Mr.  F'i  :  Mr.  M.  from  Ragusa  and 
his  two  sons,  one  of  them  wishes  to  go  with  me  to  Jeru- 
salem, Mr.  P.  from  Ragusa,  H.  E.  I.  scrivano  to  the  pa- 
cha. 1  introduced  to  them  after  dinner,  the  dragoman 
of  the  consul,  in  order  that  he  might  be  present  at  one 
of  our  conversations.  The  son  of  rabbi  M.  came  after 
dinner  was  over ;  I  proved  by  the  prophecies  that  Christ 
was  to  die,  and  thus  enter  into  his  glory. 

Sept,  30,  1821. — I  have  distributed  a  great  many  of 
Mr.  B.'s  tracts,  Tremellius's  Catechism,  and  Italian  New 
Testaments,  among  Jews.  Rabbi  Crispin,  a  gentleman 
seventy  years  of  age,  whom  I  took  for  my  master  in  the 
Hebrew,  Jewish-Spanish,  and  Jewish-Arabic  tongues^ 
called  on  me  and  said,  that  I  had  been  strongly  recom- 
mended to  him  by  Mr.  C.  from  Alexandria.  He  exa- 
mined me  in  Hebrew,  and  requested  that  1  would  sing  it 
after  the  Sarka,  which  I  did.  It  would  be  well  if  the 
Jews'  Society  would  print  the  New  Testament  in  the 
Spanish  tongue,  with  Hebrew  characters.  1  hope  to 
undertake  this  work  myself  on  my  arrival  at  Jerusalem. 
I  have  sent  to  you,  by  means  of  Mr.  Lee,  a  Hebrew  Die- 


137 

tionary,  explained  in  Jewish-Spanish,  which  the  Society 
may  make  use  of.  My  servant,  Franz  Six,  saw  to-day, 
Jews  standing  together  in  the  street,  and  reading  the 
tracts  which  I  had  given  them.  N.,  a  Jew,  seventy 
years  of  age,  now  reads  the  New  Ti  stament  with  great 
eagerness.  My  Arabic  master,  Mustalfa  Eflendi,  a  Ma- 
homedan  by  persua&ion,  was  the  master  of  the  famous 
traveller  Burckliardt. 

Osman,  third  dragoman  to  Mr.  Salt,  has  presented  me 
with  Arabic  letters  and  poems,  composed  by  Burckhardt, 
(Sheik  Ibrahim,)  which  I  send  to  my  dear  master  pro- 
fessor Lee,  at  Cambridge  ;  another  Arabic  manuscript, 
given  to  me  by  Mustaffa  Eflendi,  is  for  you,  and  if  you 
should  not  want  it,  give  it  to  the  Seminary  at  Stanstead 
park.  I  desired  Mr.  Fl.  I.  H.  to  write  a  letter  to  you  in 
Jewish-Hebrew  characters,  which  he  did.  I  send  it  to 
you  ;  be  so  kind  as  to  lend  it  to  the  Jews'  Society.  I 
have  now  distributed  more  than  sixty  New  Testaments 
in  Hebrew  among  the  Jews.  I  am  sure  that  the  Jews' 
Society  will  not  be  displeased  at  my  having  given  them 
away  gratis  ;  but  indeed,  I  have  not  courage  to  ask 
money  from  the  Jews.  The  Copt  whom  I  employ  to 
sell  my  Bibles,  yesterday  sold  two  Hebrew  Bibles  to 
Jews  for  twelve  piastres.  I  am  not  able  to  send  the 
money  in  any  other  manner  to  the  Bible  Society,  than 
thus  : — You  will  be  so  kind  after  you  shall  receive  the 
bills  for  my  salary,  to  give  to  the  Bible  Society  so  much 
as  I  shall  not  draw  upon  your  account.  1  have  now 
sold  at  Alexandria  and  Cairo,  to  the  amount  of  sixteen 
dollars  ;  from  these,  I  may  take  the  expense  for  carrying 
the  trunks  from  Gibraltar  to  Malta,  four  dollars ;  from 
Malta  to  Alexandria,  three  dollars;  at  London,  five 
shillings ;  in  the  custom-house  at  Gibraltar,  I  gave  to 
David  Davies,  for  bringing  them  on  shore,  1  suppose 
(but  1  am  not  quite  certain)  six  shillings ;  Dr.  Naudi 
paid,  likewise,  something  for  bringing  them  on  shore  at 
Malta  ;  and  I  gave  half  a  dollar  to  Paolo,  servant  of  the 
Bible  Society  at  Malta.  For  bringing  them  upon  cam- 
els, from  Pulaka  to  Cairo,  and  at  Alexandria,  from  on 
board  to  Mr.  Lee,  two  dollars.     1  am  very  economical 

12* 


138 

with  my  money ;  I  have  now  in  my  trunk  151  dollars, 
for  1  live  always  in  the  houses  of  the  consuls,  where  I 
spend  but  little.  All  that  I  have  to  spare  from  my  sala- 
ry shall  be  sent  back  to  you  with  the  greatest  pleasure, 
with  which  you  may  do  as  yon  please.  I  give  to  my 
servant  six  dollars  a  month,  and  board.  He  writes 
down  regularly  all  that  I  get  for  Bibles,  so  that  I  shall 
be  able  to  give  you  a  just  account ;  for  I  have  no  time 
to  do  it  myself.  Oh,  that  Messrs.  Fisk  and  Parsons, 
whom  1  expect  at  Cairo,  may  soon  arrive ;  they  know 
how  to  manage  things  better  than  I  do. 

The  great  Jew,  Joseph  N.,  has  promised  to  give  me 
letters  of  introduction  for  the  Jew,  Raphael  T.,  once 
consul-general  to  the  emperor  of  Austria,  at  Aleppo, 
and  now  private  gentleman  and  first  Jew  at  Tiberias. 
The  English  consulate  is  often  full  of  Jews,  who  call  on 
me.  Mahomed  Effendi  called  on  me  to-day,  and  was 
surprised  to  find  so  many  Jews  assembled  in  my  room,  to 
talk  with  me  about  that  Messiah  whom  he  has  rejected. 

My  servant  is  a  Roman  Catholic,  but  he  reads  the 
Scriptures,  and  I  pray  with  him  ;  I  besought  him  never 
to  talk  with  any  Catholic  monk  about  the  object  of  my 
journey,  and  to  be  yery  kind  towards  Jews. 

Captain  Caviglia,  from  Geneva,  is  employed  here  by  a 
Society,  of  which  Mr.  Salt  is  president,  to  explore  the 
monuments  of  this  country  ;  he  called  on  me  ;  I  was  very 
much  delighted  with  his  visit,  and  we  became  friends  in 
about  ten  minutes  ;  he  gives  me  some  hope  that  he  may 
make  some  discovery  about  the  history  of  Moses.  I 
make  use  of  all,  for  e\ery  thing  must  be  made  subser- 
vient to  the  Gospel.  Mr.  Salt  is  the  only  one  at  Cairo, 
among  the  Franks,  who  takes  any  interest  in  my  cause  ; 
he  is  the  reason  of  m3'  being  at  Cairo. 

Oct  1,  1S21. — Rabbi  S.  residing  at  Jerusalem,  bnt 
born  in  Wilna,  called  on  me;  a  very  amiable  man  in- 
deed ;  I  gave  him,  after  the  custom  of  the  east,  a  cup  of 
cofiee ;  he  drank  my  health,  and  said,  *  I  wish  that  you 
may  live  many  years,  and  finally  come  back  to  the  true 
faith.'  My  servant,  who  was  present,  was  surprised  to 
hear  such  things,    I  listened  to  him  with  compassion. 


139 

Rabbi  S.  continued: — *  Did  you  hear  of  rabbi  Simeon 
BenJochai?'  I  replied,  Yes;  Solomon  replied,  'Do 
like  him  ;  he  did  not  believe  ;  therefore  do  not  you  be- 
lieve :'  I  answered,  I  am  ordered  by  God  to  regulate 
my  life  after  his  word.  Rabbi  S.  told  me  the  story  of 
rabbi  Haninya,  by  whose  merits  the  world  was  main- 
tained. I  did  not  like  to  hurt  his  feelings  by  telling 
him  that  1  did  not  believe  these  fables,  and  so  passed  it 
over  in  silence. 

Rabbi  S.  If  I  were  to  introduce  to  you  somebody 
who  might  convince  you  that  you  are  wrong,  would  you 
be  honest  enough  to  acknowledge  it? 

/.  What  I  am,  1  am  by  God's  grace  ;  but  I  will  free- 
ly acknowledge  that  I  am  beaten  by  argument,  if  any 
one  should  be  able  to  do  it;  but  nobody  can  root  out 
my  experience. 

Rabbi  S  went  to  fetch  one  to  silence  me.  While  he 
was  gone,  I  kneeled  down  with  my  German  servant,  to 
pray  for  God's  assistance,  in  the  following  words  : — O 
Lord,  lead  me  not  into  temptation  ;  send  down  thy  holy 
Spirit  upon  me,  that  I  may  be  enabled  to  encounter  the 
objections  of  that  rabbi,  if  he  should  come  to  me. 

Mustafia  EfTendi,  my  iVrabic  master,  called  to  con- 
verse with  me  in  Arabic,  but  I  told  him  that  he  must 
excuse  me  this  evening.  Other  Jews  called  on  me  be- 
fore rabbi  S.  returned  ;  he  at  length  came  back  in  the 
company  of  a  tall  man,  perhaps  sixty  years  of  age, 
with  a  long  beard,  his  name  was  rabbi  I.  from  Mohilev, 
residing  at  Zophat,  near  Jerusalem.  He  desired  that 
the  other  Jews  might  leave  the  room  ;  I  told  them  the 
desire  of  the  Rabbi,  and  begged  that  they  would  come 
the  next  day.  But  I  thought  it  advisable  that  my  ser- 
vant should  remain  in  the  room.  The  conversation  was 
in  German. 

I  began  to  address  myself  to  the  rabbi  in  the  follow- 
ing words  : — Rabbi,  1  am  the  son  of  a  rabbi,  and  iiave 
received  a  strict  Jewish  education,  1  have  studied  not 
only  the  law  and  the  prophets,  but  have  likewise  read 
something  in  the  Talmud.  I  perceived  by  the  grace  of 
the  Lord,  after  many  trials,  that  no  man  can  be  happy. 


140 

except  his  heart  rest  in  God,  and  in  him  alone.     1  read 
the  law  of  Moses,  and   perceived  that  those  Jews  are 
wrong,    who  despise   the  word   given  by  God  upon  the 
mount  Sinai,  under  thunders  and  lightnings.     I  read  the 
prophets  and  the  psalms  of  David,   and  was  persuaded 
that  those  men  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.     After  that  I    arrived  at  this    persuasion,   I  was 
obliged  to  believe  that  a  Messiah  was  promised  to  Isra- 
el according  to   that   book.     I  formerly  asked  my  fa- 
ther :  he  told  me  that  that  Messiah  was  still  expected.     I 
looked  again  some  years  afterwards  in  the  prophets,  I 
found  that  that  expectation  was  not  a  vain  one,  and  that 
the  Messiah  shall  come,  and  that  he  will  come,  and  that 
he  shall  not  tarry  ;  that  the  gates  of  Jerusalem  shall  be 
open  continually,    and  shall  not  be  shut  day  nor  night. 
As  the  bridegroom   rejoiceth  over    the  bride,    so   shall 
God    rejoice    over   Jerusalem.     Thou   shalt   be  called 
Hephzibah,    and   thy  land   Beulah.     But   I  met  on  the 
other  side  with  prophecies,  which  persuaded  me  that  he 
was  already  come,  and  that  he  will  come  again.     1  met 
with  the  prophecy  of  Jacob,  that  "  the  sceptre  shall  not 
depart  until  Shiloh  comes;"  the  sceptre  is  departed,  and, 
of  consequence,  Shiloh  must  have  come.     1  met  with  the 
prophecy  of  Daniel  ;  "  After  threescore  and  two  weeks, 
Messiah  shall  be  cut  off,    but  not  for  himself;  and  the 
people  of  the  Prince  that  shall  come,  shall  destroy  the 
city  and    sanctuary."     The  city,  the  holy  city  Jerusa- 
lem is  destroyed,    (Solomon  wept,)   the  sanctuary  de- 
stroyed, and  the  threescore   and    two  weeks  past ;  the 
Messiah  must,  therefore,  have  arrived.     I  heard,  finally, 
of  one  person,   called  Jesus,    much   hated    by  the  Jews, 
who   did  wonders  and  signs,  which   are  confessed   and 
acknowledged  by  the   rabbies  themselves,   but  they  say 
that   he  did    it  by  the  Shem-hamphorash.     I  reasoned 
thus  ;  How  should  God  assist  an  impostor  by  means  of 
his    most   holy  name  ?  this  is   not  possible.     But  yet  I 
did  not  believe  on  him,    for  Moses,   that  man  of  God, 
commanded   before  his  death,   saying,  "  If  there  arise 
among  you  a  prophet  or  a  dreamer  of  dreams,  and  giv- 
eth  thee  a  sign  or  a  wonder,  and  the  sign  or  the  wonder 


141 

eome  to  pass,  whereof  he  spake  unto  thee,  saying,  Let 
us  go  after  other  gods  which  thou  hast  not  known,  and 
let  us  serve  them  ;  thou  shalt  not  hearken  unto  the 
words  of  tfiat  prophet,  or  that  dreamer  of  dreams."  I 
tlierefore  examined,  first,  what  that  Jesus  did  speak, 
whether  he  said,  "  Let  us  go  after  other  gods  ;"  No,  on 
the  contrary,  (1  laid  before  me,  and  before  rabbi  I.  the 
New  Testament)  1  read  in  this  New  Testament  the  fol- 
lowing words,  "And  one  of  the  scribes  came,  and  hav- 
ing heard  them  reasoning  together,  and  perceiving  that 
he  had  answered  them  well,  asked  him,  Which  is  the 
first  commandment  of  all  ?  And  Jesus  answered  him, 
The  first  of  all  the  commandments  is,  "  Hear,  O  Israel, 
the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord."  Seeing  that  the  com- 
mandments of  Jesus  agreed  with  the  doctrines  of  Mo- 
ses, and  having  read  his  whole  Gospel,  I  soon  perceived 
that  he  was  that  prophet  whom  the  Lord  has  raised  up 
among  our  brethren  like  unto  Moses  ;  that  he  was  that 
Messiah  who  was  to  be  cut  off,  but  not  for  himself;  for 
he  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living  for  our  in- 
iquities. I  believed  that  Jesus  was  that  very  seed  of 
the  woman,  who  was  to  bruise  the  serpent's  head;  that 
he  was  the  Son  given  unto  us,  whose  name  is  Mighty 
God,  Everlasting  Father.  I  believe  now  that  he  is  the 
Son  of  the  living  God,  God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever. 
And  in  this  faith  I  find  joy,  peace,  and  rest,  which  I 
cannot  describe,  and  1  am  ready  to  die  for  Jesus,  my 
Lord,  who  hath  redeemed  me  from  all  evil. 

Rabbi  I.  I  must  say,  first  of  all,  that  the  edition  of 
your  Bible  is  not  correct,  (it  was  Simon's  edition)  for 
we  do  not  find  in  our  edition  the  expression  n'ii^-,  in 
Dan.  ix.  26. — I  soon  perceived  that  I  had  not  to  do 
with  an  upright  man,  and  1  had  not  at  hand  a  Jewish 
edition  of  the  Hebrew  Bible,  by  which  I  might  have 
convinced  him  in  a  moment,  in  the  presence  of  S.,  that 
he  was  very  wrong.  I  was  not  able,  therefore,  at  that 
moment,  to  say  more,  than  that  I  knew  he  would  find, 
in  all  the  editions  of  the  Hebrew  Bible  which  exist,  theex» 
pression  n  wL,  in  that  passage,  but  I  shall  buy  a  Jew^. 
jsb  edition  of  the  Bible, 


142 

Rabbi  I.  continued  ; — I  did  not  like  to  interrupt  you, 
for  our  Talmud  saj^s,  that  '  we  ought  not  to  fall  ni  with 
the  words  of  our  neighbour,'  but  1  will  now  ask  you 
some  questions,  1.  Tell  me  the, signification  of  the  word 
Di^J.  (Deut.  xxii.  12.) 

/.  Fringes. 

Rabbi  I.  Tell  me  the  signification  of  nSDIO-  (Deut. 
vi.  8.) 

/.   Frontlets. 

Rabbi  I,  How  do  you  know  this  ^ 

I.  By  dictionaries  and  translations,  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  we  know  the  signification  of  words  in  other  dead 
languages. 

Rabbi  I.  Who  tells  you  that  this  holy  Scripture  of 
Moses  is  the  word  of  God  ? 

T  remembered  the  drift  of  the  Roman  Catholics,  wha 
say,  that  we  need  a  church,  which  may  tell  us,  that  the 
Scripture  is  the  holy  Scripture.  I  therefore  answered, 
that  the  internal  evidence  of  Scripture  is  so  strong,  that 
nobody  need  tell  me  that  it  is  the  word  of  God  ;  First, 
It  contains  prophecies  which  have  been  fulfilled  many 
centuries  afterwards.  Secondly,  It  produces  holiness 
of  life,  which  no  other  book  is  able  to  do. 

The  evening  time  was  arrived,  and  rabbies  1.  and  S. 
observed,  that  ihey  were  obliged  to  go  to  their  quarter, 
in  order  that  they  might  be  able  to  perform  chinka 
(evening  prayers;)  I  told  them  that  they  might  perform 
their  evening  prayer  with  all  freedom  in  my  room  ;  they 
accepted  the  offer,  and  exclaimed  '  Blessed  are  those 
who  dwell  in  thy  house,  they  shall  praise  thee  for  ever.' 
They  then  turned  their  faces  towards  Jerusalem,  and 
performed  their  other  prayers.  After  the}'  had  done,  I 
desired  to  talk  longer,  but  rabbi  f.  was  too  learned 
and  ignorant ;  he  wished  to  talk  about  the  river  Samba- 
tion.  Alter  1  told  him  that  1  take  the  Bible  only  for 
my  guide,  he  promised  to  come  again  the  next  day,  but 
he  came  not.  The  humble  rabbi  S.  talked  with  more 
sense,  than  the  proud  and  false  rabbi  I. 

Oct.  2. —  1  went  with  the  antiquary  Signor  Caviglia 
of  Geneva,  to  old  Cairo^  and  to  the  pyramids,  and  we 


143 

ftallecl  oil  a  Turkish  judge,  who  sat  in  the  midst  of  his 
tent,  judging  his  people.  MuslafTa  Effendi,  a  Mahome- 
dan,  who  was  the  master  of  Slieik  Ibrahim,  (Burck- 
hardt)  and  who  is  now  my  master  in  Arabic,  asks  me 
what  arguments  I  bring  forth  to  prove  to  the  Jews  that 
Jesus  is  the  Messiah.  I  have  in  this  manner,  a  good 
opportunity  of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  two  Mahome- 
dans  ;  for  Osman,  dragoman  of  IVlr.  Salt,  is  a  renegado, 
and  is  always  present  when  I  take  lessons  from  Mustaf- 
fa  EfTendi. 

I  send  you  a  manuscript  of  the  Arabian  Nights,  which 
1  bought  of  Mustaffa  Edendi.  I  forgot  to  tell  you,  that 
1  called  last  week  on  the  patriarch  of  the  Copts,  with 
whom  1  talked  a  long  time  ;  I  told  him,  that  1  travel 
about  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Jews,  and  he  was 
quite  surprised,  he  never  heard  of  such  a  thing  in  his 
life. 

Rabbi  S.  now  studies  the  prophets  with  all  diligence. 
Rabbi  1  did  not  come  again.  I  proceed  on  my  journey 
from  hence  to  Damiat  and  Jafia. 

I  was  introduced  to  Rabbi  A.  from  Tiberias,  by  J. 
N.  Rabbi  A.  has  been  at  Prague  ;  I  asked  him  if  he 
knew  the  famous  rabbi  Ezekiel  Jamples,  (the  memory 
of  the  just  is  a  blessing  !)  he  shouted  for  joy,  for  that 
rabbi  was  his  master. 

Oct.  3.- — Rabbi  S.  is  very  zealous,  indeed  ;  he  has 
written  in  his  memorandum  book  the  chapters  of  all  the 
prophecies  which  I  mentioned  as  speaking  of  Christ. 
He  will  examine  the  matter. 

Oct.  4. — Mustaffa  Efleiidi  was  present  when  I  con- 
versed with  rabbi  S.  That  liberally  minded,  although 
zealous  defender  of  Mahomedanism,  advised  me  to  be 
cautious  with  Jews,  in  order  that  they  may  not  begin  to 
persecute  me.  Mustaffa  Effendi  is  now  reading  the 
New  Testament  in  Arabic,  as  I  desired  him,  and  tells 
me  he  is  pleased  with  the  Arabic. 

Oct.  5. — Raphael  N.,  fourteen  years  of  age,  son  of 
the  rich  Jew  J.  N.,  Jehuda  A.,  fourteen  years  of  age, 
son  of  the  famous  rabbi  Joseph  A.,  residing  at  Jerusa- 
lem, Abraham  A.,  son  of  the  high-priest  M.,   seventeen 


144 

years  of  age,  called  on  me  :  they  were  dressed  after  the 
eastern  costume  ;  they  said  to  me  in  Hebrew,  (which 
they  speak,  beside  Arabic,  exceedingly  well)  We  have 
called  with  the  intention  of  hearing  ivords  of  wisdom  from 
you.  All  three  sat  down  at  my  feet  :  I  sent  my  servant 
for  Mr.  Santini.  the  chancellor  of  Mr.  Salt,  in  order  that 
he  might  witness  such  a  delightful  scene;  he  had  the 
kindness  to  come.  1  read  to  them  in  Hebrew,  the  liiid 
of  Isaiah,  and  the  vth  chapter  of  St.  Matthew,  and  ex- 
plained it  in  Arabic.  I  called  on  the  Jew,  H.  E.  I., 
scrivano  to  the  Pasha,  and  a  banker  :  he  was  just  read- 
ing the  New  Testament  with  the  young  Raphael  Z  ,  one 
of  his  clerks,  and  other  young  Jews;  Raphael  Z.  told 
me,  that  he  rejoices  greatly  in  reading  the  Ngw  Testa- 
ment. 

I  dined  yesterday  with  Mr.  Raisden,  first  book-keep- 
er of  Bagos,  first  interpreter  to  the  Pasha.  Six  Ar- 
menian gentlemen  dined  with  us,  every  one  of  them 
knew  the  object  of  my  travelling  about.  My  love  to 
John  Bayford,  Esq.  and  his  family  ;  to  my  dear  Pro- 
fessor Lee,  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Saunders,  and  all  my  other 
friends  and  acquaintance  in  England. 

I  am,  3/our's,  SiC. 

Jos.  Wolf. 

Oct.  10. — Rabbi  Solomon  from  Wilna,  residing  at  Je- 
rusalem, called  on  me,  and  introduced  me  to  rabbles 
Abraham,  and  Hirsh,  both  tradesmen  from  Bucharest, 
and  residing  at  Jerusalem.  Rabbi  Solomon  asked  me, 
to  what  place  I  intended  to  go  from  hence.  I  replied,  to 
mount  Sinai.  He  told  me  that  he  would  prove  to  me 
that  that  is  not  mount  Siitai  which  at  present  is  called 
so.  I  answered  that  it  might  be  he  was  right,  but  I 
wished  to  know  the  arguments  by  which  he  proved  it. 

Solomon.  I  will  prove  it  by  a  parable.  There  was  a 
queen,  and  that  queen  was  married  to  a  king,  who  died; 
should  you  suppose  that  that  queen  would,  after  the 
death  of  the  king,  marry  the  king's  minister,  or  a  menial 
servant  ?  Certainly  not.  Mount  Sinai  is  that  queen; 
it  was  married  to  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  his  name 


145 

The  Holy  One  did  come  down  upon  Sinai,  and  gave  his 
holy  law  upon  it,  should  he,  therefore,  admit  or  allow 
a  convent  of  monks  to  be  built  upon  that  mountain.  It 
is  therefore  impossible  that  that  mountain,  upon  which  a 
convent  now  stands,  should  be  mount  Sinai.  I  think 
rather,  and  my  opinion  is  confirmed  by  other  rabbies, 
that  mount  Sinai  is  in  England  :  yea,  even  mount  Ta- 
bor is  in  Europe.  But  you  will  make  the  objection, 
why  is  Jerusalem  deserted  ?  I  answer,  this  was  predict- 
ed, but  with  respect  to  Sinai,  we  do  not  meet  with  any 
prediction.  1  did  not  tliink  it  necessary  to  contradict 
his  innocent  prejudice. 

Oct.  20. — Rabbi  Obediah,  from  Aleppo,   schoolmas- 
ter at  Cairo,  called  with  his  clever   disciple,    Raphael 
Zanna,  Shabatai  Bechor,  Johaniian  Bromberg,  Isaac, 
Joseph,  Shabatai  Beciior,   Halfun  Esra  Achari,   Daniel 
Eliakim,    Moses   Nada.     Two   Jews   from    Damascus, 
with  twenty  other  Jews  from  Damascus,  called  on  me, 
and  desired  New  Testaments,  the  tract,  jnyjJ  nS'^,    and 
Hebrew  Bibles,  which  I  gave  them  according  to  their 
wish.  1  afterwards  called  on  Haim  Jsaiah,   where  1  met 
with  two   Jews  from  Damietta,   who   wished  to  see  me 
there.     The  Jew,  Nisim,  and  Haim  Isaiah  told  me,  that 
there  was  to  day  a  great  dispute  in  the  house  of  the  rab- 
bi, about  i.  Gen.  26,  "  Let  us  create  a  man,  &ic."     My 
opinion,  that  God  speaks  here  to  his  Son,  was  mention- 
ed ;  the  rabbies  said,  that  I  was  wrong,  for  God  speaks 
thereto  his  angels.     Nisim,  and  Haim  Isaiah,  who  had 
talked  with  me  before  on  this  subject,  knew  my  answer, 
and  mentioned  it.     Other  Jews   told    them    to  be  silent 
with  their  Freemason  system.     Haim  Isaiah,   and   the 
Jews  from  Damietta,  and  Nisim  and  Nada,  are  delight- 
ed with  the  moral  they  meet  with  in  the  New  Testament. 
Mr.  Champion,  Austrian  Consul  at  Cairo,  introduced 
me  to  the  Superior  of  the  establishment  of  the  Romish 
Propaganda  at  Cairo.  They  are  good  and  simple  heart- 
ed persons,  they  never  preach,  for  few  come  to  listen  to 
them.     They  hear  confession,  after  the  system  of  St. 
Antoine.     1  observed  that  I  wondered  they  made  use  of 
that  author,  w  ho  is  considered  at  Rome  per  nn  moralista 

13 


146 

troppo  rigoroso  e  stretto  special  men  le  de  jeuniis  et  sol- 
licitazione.  We  spoke  then  of  the  Bible  Society.  I 
told  them,  that  the  Bible  Society  prints  in  London,  the 
same  edition  that  the  Propaganda  has  published.  I 
asked  them  wliether  they  had  converted  any  Mahome- 
dans  to  the  Catholic  faith.  They  replied,  11  Papa  ha 
proibito  di  convertire  i  Turchi,  noi  abbiamo  solitantofa- 
colta  di  convertire  gli  Eretici.  Mr.  Champion  has  had 
the  kindness  to  lend  me  Machiavel,  in  which  I  read 
sometimes. 

When  I  came  back  to  the  consulate,  more  than  fifty 
Jews  were  waiting  for  me  at  the  door  of  my  room.  They 
read  with  a  loud  voice  the  New  Testament  and  tracts 
they  met  with  on  my  table.  They  are  sorry  that  1  do 
not  visit  their  synagogue. 

Oct.  21. — I  preach  to  four  tradesmen  and  their  wives, 
from  Germany,  on  the  text,  1  Tim.  i.  15 — 17.  1  preach- 
ed extempore,  and  tried  to  set  forth  the  mercy  of  Christ, 
and  to  show  them  how  they  may  become  partakers  of 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  in  the  midst  of  the  literal  Egypt. 
The  congregation  was  in  tears,  especially  when  1  ex- 
horted them  to  pray  for  the  Jews  ;  and  afterwards  every 
one  of  them  desired  me  to  procure  for  them  German 
Bibles. 

After  my  sermon  was  over,  the  dragoman  of  the  first 
vabbi  at  Cairo,  Hakam  Mercado,  called  on  me,  and  told 
me,  that  Hakam  JMercado  sent  his  compliments,  and 
asked  whether  he  might  taKe  the  liberty  to  call  on  me 
and  drink  cofiee,  and  bring  with  him  his  vice-rabbies 
and  his  son  ;  and  that  one  of  the  chief  rabbies  residing 
at  Jerusalem,  wished  to  arcotnpany  him  to  me.  1  re- 
plied to  the  dragoman,  that  it  would  give  me  the  great- 
est pleasure  to  see  Hakam  Mercado,  the  wise  among  the 
wise,  in  my  house,  with  all  his  vice-rabbies.  Ten  min- 
utes afterwards,  rabbi  Mercado  came  in  his  priestly 
robes,  with  the  vice-rabbies  Kzra,  Haim,  and  Rabbi 
Moses  Mercado,  from  Jerusalem.  After  having  asked 
me  three  or  four  times  whether  T  was  in  health,  and  the 
reason  why  I  called  so  seldom  upon  him,  he  begged 
leave  to  ask  another  question  ;  he  said.  When  you  called 
on  me  the  first  time,  you  made  me  a  present  of  Hebrew 


147 

books,  wliicii  1  considered  as  a  great  honour  ;  but  T  see 
you  give  these  books  to  every  one  ;  therefore  the  present 
jou  liave  made  me  loses  its  vakie.  I  replied,  As  I 
made  you  first  of  all  a  present  of  these  books,  3^011  may 
perceive  the  high  regard  1  have  for  you  ;  but  J  have  given 
it  also  gratis  to  the  others,  on  account  of  the  love  and 
ailection  I  have  towards  all  the  Jews. 

Rabbi  Mercado.  But  you  must  know,  that  many  to 
whom  you  have  given  it,  will  either  never  read  it,  or  do 
not  understand  it.  I  beg  you,  therefore,  be  so  kind  as  to 
give  it  to  nobody  but  those  who  bring  a  letter  of  recom- 
mendation from  myself. 

I  answered  that  it  would  not  be  right  if  I  did  not  sub- 
mit myself  on  this  point,  to  the  wish  of  the  rabbi,  for  I 
was  persuaded  that  he  would  not  withhold  the  letter  of 
introduction  from  those  who  wished  to  read,  and  were 
able  to  understand  it.  All  exclaimed,  '  Tayib,  tayib, 
tayib  !' 

Rabbi  Mercado.  1  have  read  some  tracts  distributed 
by  you,  and  compared  them  with  the  New  Testament, 
and  have  observed  that  they  often  contradict  each  other. 

/.  This  may  be  possible.  I  like  therefore,  to  see  the 
Jews  searching  for  the  trutli.  They  will  find,  that  the 
writings  of  men,  as  well  those  of  the  Christians  as  those 
of  the  Jews,  are  often  opposed  to  the  word  of  God,  but 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  which  are  both  the  word 
of  God,  I  am  able  to  prove,  do  not  contradict  each 
other. 

I  addressed  myself  to  the  vice-rabbi  Ezra,  and  asked 
iiim,  whether  he  was  born  at  Cairo. 

Vice-rabbi  Ezra.  No,  Sir;  you  find  the  name  of  my 
native  place  in  Psalm  Ix.  2. 

I  laid  before  me  the  Hebrew  Bible,  and  met  with  the 
verse  : — "  When  he  strove  with  Aram,  Naharaim,  and 
with  Aram  Zobah. 

Ezra.  Aram  Zobah,  now  called  Aleppo,  is  my  native 
place. 

I  wrote  in  the  margin  of  my  Bible,  *  Aleppo." 

Chief  Rabbi  xMercado  looked  into  my  Hebrew  Bible, 
5i)d  observed  that  I  had  written  notes  on  the  margin  of 


148 

it  and  said.  *  You  seek  the  truth  very  sincerely,  there   is 
no  doubt ;  for  your  Hebrew  Bible  is  full  of  notes.' 

/.  And  this  Bible  is  my  only  study,  my  only  delight, 
and  I  have  experienced  the  truth  of  the  words  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  David  ;  "  Blessed 
is  the  man  whose  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and 
in  his  law  doth  he  meditate  day  and  night  "  The  son  of 
rabbi  Mercado  recited  after  me  the  following  verse  in  a 
melodious  voice,  and  every  one  of  the  other  rabbies  re- 
peated it  also  ;  "  This  book  of  the  law  shall  not  depart 
out  of  thy  mouth,  but  thou  shalt  meditate  therein  day 
and  night,  that  thou  mayest  observe  to  do  accordmg  to 
all  that  is  written  therein  ;  for  then  thou  shalt  make  thy 
way  prosperous^  and  then  thou  shalt  have  success." 
Joshua  i  8. 

Rabbi  Mercado.  You  are  seeking  the  truth,  but  do 
you  think  that  you  have  already  found  it  ? 

/.  I  have  found  one  great  truth,  and  it  is  tliis,  That 
Jesus  is  the  Christ ;  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God.  That 
that  Jesus  was  to  come  to  his  brethren,  and  will  come 
again  ;  and  the  Jews  will  come  again  to  Jerusalem. 

Rabbi  Mercado.  The  Old  Testament  contains  the 
seed  sown — it  is  a  figure  of  some  other  thing. 

I.  The  New  Testament  is  contained,  and  hidden,  or 
rather  revealed  in  it. 

Rabbi  Mercado.  I  will  appoint  a  day  when  I  myself 
and  the  other  rabbies  will  meet  together  and  talk  on 
this  subject. 

Signor  Caviglia,  from  Geneva,  a  captain  of  a  ship 
of  war,  who  labours  now  in  the  pyramids,  called  on  me, 
in  company  with  Signor  Nissoli,  Ciiancellor  of  the  Aus- 
trian Consul.  Both  these  gentlemen  are  attached  to  the 
philosophy  of  Pythagoras,  and  the  writings  of  St.  iVlar- 
tin  and  Pohme.  They  advised  me  not  to  converse  with 
common  Jews,  but  only  with  the  learned  and  wise.  They 
told  me,  as  soon  as  Socrates  began  to  teach  the  com- 
mon people,  he  was  put  to  death  ;  and  we  must  know 
that  Christ  himself  conversed  with  some  in  parables, 
but  with  others,  not. 

I  replied,  that  1  must  entirely  reject  the  advice,  not  to 
go  among  common  Jews,  for  that  philosophy  and  the 


149 

knowledge  of  God  must  never  become  the  monopoly  of 
any  certain  class  of  people.  Jacob  Bohme,  a  common 
shoemaker,  had  more  knowledge  of  Scripture  than  Kant 
and  Leibnitz.  Christ  manifested  liimself  to  publicans 
and  sinners,  and  to  "  babes."  I  love  Pestalozzi  and 
Fellenberg,  and  Lancaster  on  this  very  accouvit,  that 
they  imitate  Christ  in  this  point,  by  instructing  the 
lower  class  of  people. 

The  Jews  are  now  very  stormy  ;  more  than  fifty  Jews 
at  once  entered  the  Consul's  house  to-day,  with  the  firm 
design  of  taking  New  Testaments  in  despite  of  their  rab- 
bies.  The  door-keeper  of  the  Consul  was  afraid  to  let 
them  come  to  me,  until  I  told  him  he  might  sufier  them 
to  come.  1  told  them  that  their  rabbi  told  me  he  would 
give  a  letter  for  me  to  every  one  whom  he  thought  able 
to  understand  Hebrew.  They  replied,  that  I  myself 
should  examine  them.  I  did  this,  and  said  to  those  who 
understood  Hebrew,  that  they  should  go  to  their  rabbi, 
and  tell  him,  thai  I  had  examined  them,  and  wished  him 
to  give  them  permission  to  take  New  Testaments  from 
me.  They  entreated  me  for  more  than  an  hour,  but  I 
refused  it  to  them  with  heart-breaking  grief,  on  account 
of  the  promise  I  had  given  to  the  rabbi.  I  told  them, 
that  they  should  come  to  me  again  on  Wednesday,  and 
if  the  rabbi  did  not  give  them  letters  for  me,  I  should 
perceive  that  he  did  not  intend  to  do  it,  and  should  give 
them  New  Testaments  and  Bibles  without  hesitation. 

Oct.  23.  Tuesday. — Girolamo  Maspurgo,  the  Jewish 
banker  at  Cairo,  recommended  to  me  a  Jew  from  Livor- 
iio,  who  wishes  to  read  the  books  I  carry  about.  I  told 
him,  he  should  bring  me  a  letter  from  the  rabbi  ;  he  re- 
plied, that  he  was  not  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  rabbi 
at  Cairo,  but  under  the  protection  of  the  Austrian  Con- 
sul. 1  gave  him,  therefore,  a  Bible,  New  Testament, 
and  tracts,  without  hesitation.  A  number  of  Germans 
attended  my  sermons  on  Sunday. 

John  Carne,   Esq.,   and — Clarke,  Esq.,   nephew   of 

the  learned  Dr.  Clarke,  came  back  from  Upper  Egypt. 

I  shall  proceed  on  my  journey,   if  the  Lord   please,  in 

company  with  Mr.  Carne,  but  Mr.  Clarke  goes  back  to 

13* 


150 

England.     I  cannot  express  the  joy  and   happiness  I 
felt,  when  I  saw  these  two  English  gentlemen. 

I  said  to  Mahomed  Effendi  (Mr.  English),  It  is  im- 
possible you  can  conscientiously  defend  the  life  of  Jesus 
according  to  the  account  given  by  Mahomed  in  the  Ko- 
ran. Let  us  hear  the  Koran  after  your  own  quotation  : 
*  The  Jews  devised  a  stratagem  against  him  ;  but  God 
devised  a  stratagem  against  them  ;  and  God  is  the  best 
deviser  of  stratagem  ;  for  that  they  have  uot  believed  on 
Jesus,  and  have  spoken  against  Mary  a  grievous  calum- 
ny, and  have  said.  Verily  we  have  slain  Christ  Jesus  the 
Son  of  Mary,  the  apostle  of  God  ;  yet  they  sleiv  him  not, 
neither  crucified  him,  hut  he  was  represented  by  one  in  his 
likeness,  <^c.  <^c.'  According  to  Mahomed,  Jesus  was 
not  crucified,  and  you  have  often  told  me,  that  the  words 
of  Daniel,  "  the  Messiah  shall  be  cut  off,"  is  a  decisive 
passage. 

Mahomed  Effendi,  It  may  mean,  that  he  was  sud- 
denly taken  from  the  earth. 

/.  It  signifies  absolutely,  a  violent  cutting  off  out  of 
the  land  of  the  living,  by  a  violent  death  inflicted  upon 
somebody.  Gen.  xvii.  14.  "  The  uncircumcised  child 
shall  be  cut  off,"  ( im^J  ).  Exodus  xii.  15,  "That 
soul  shall  be  cut  off,"  (nniD.v).  Numbers  xv.  30,  31, 
xix.  13,  Sic.  and  Isaiah  liii.  8,  "  He  was  cut  off  out  of 
the  land  of  the  living.''^  These  passages  decide  the 
point  in  question  ;  therefore  one  must  be  false,  either 
the  Old  Testament,  the  authority  of  which  is  admitted 
by  you,  or  the  Koran.  He,  the  Messiah,  exclaimed  on 
the  cross,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me?"  He,  the  Messiah,  it  is,  who  saith,  "  They  have 
pierced  my  hands  and  my  feet."  "  They  shall  look  on 
him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and  mourn."  If  they  had 
hanged  a  likeness  of  him,  (Judas  Iscariot,  as  the  Ma- 
liomedans  suppose,)  why  should  Israel  look  to  Judas  ? 
You  try  to  get  over  the  difficulty,  by  observing,  that 
many  Christians  have  believed  thus;  but  it  is  not  the 
question,  whether  many  Christians  believed  it,  but 
whether  the  account  of  the  Koran  is  true,  and  agrees 


151 

With  the  Old  Testament,  whicli  we  observe  is  not  the 
case. 

Mahomed  Effendi.  Tt  is  not  to  be  denied  that  I  find 
a  difficulty  in  reconciling-  it  with  the  Old  Testament. 
And  after  all,  1  never  could  be  a  Christian  according  to 
the  school  of  Paid,  who  asserts,  that  the  Gentiles  are 
not  obliged  to  keep  the  law. 

/.  That  the  Gentile  may  be  accepted  by  God,  with- 
out the  law  of  Moses,  is  a  doctrine  taught  by  Solomon. 
1  Kings  viii.  41,  "Moreover,  concerning  a  stranger 
that  is  not  of  thy  people  Israel,  but  cometh  out  of  a  far 
country  for  thy  name's  sake;  for  they  shall  hear  of  thy 
great  name,  and  of  thy  strong  hand,  and  of  thy  stretch- 
ed out  arm  ;  when  he  shall  come  and  pray  toward  this 
house;  hear  thou  in  heaven  thy  dwelling  place,  and  do 
according  to  all  that  the  stranger  calleth  to  thee  for; 
that  all  people  of  the  earth  may  know  thy  name  to  fear 
thee,  as  do  thy  people  Israel."  Moreover  we  do  not 
find  in  the  Old  Testament  that  we  are  justified  by  the 
law,  and,  therefore,  how  may  we  be  justified  ? 

Mahomed  Effendi.  By  repentance. 

/.  How  can  you  repent,  with  a  heart  deceitful  and 
desperately  wicked  ;  how  can  you  bow  down  before  the 
Most  High  God  ?  We  are  by  nature  children  of  sin, 
conceived  in  sin  by  the  mother,  forth  brought  in  the 
image  o{  a  rebellious  Adam,  "  Adam  begat  a  son  in 
his  own  likeness,  after  his  image."  (Genesis  v.  3.) 
The  seed  of  the  woman  was,  of  consequence,  necessary 
for  us,  which  "bruised  the  serpent's  head  :"  and  to  him 
we  must  look,  who  was  typified  by  that  "  lamb  without 
blemish." 

Dear  Mahomed  Efiendi,  I  know  that  you  are  not  hap- 
py in  your  opinion  ;  renounce  Mahomed!  go  with  me 
to  England;  I  would  leave  the  Jews  behind,  in  order 
to  be,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  an  instrument  in  saving 
your  soul.  I  will  show  you  a  letter  of  one  of  my  Chris- 
tian friends  in  England,  and  tell  me  whether  ever  a 
zealous  Mahomedan  could  speak  in  this  manner.  I  took 
out  the  letter  that  was  written  to  me  before  1  left  happy 
England,  and  read  to  him  the  whole  of  it;  when  wear- 


152 

rived  at  the  following  passage  of  the  letter,  'But  you 
have  a  God  and  Father  to  whom  you  may  carry  all 
your  griefs,  all  your  wants;  and  to  him  1  commit  you, 
with  truly  brotherly  affection,  remaining  ever,  your 
most  faithful  friend.'  I  say  when  1  read  this  passage 
of  the  letter,  we  both,  Mahomed  Effendi  and  myself, 
shed  abuiidance  of  tears. 

Mahomed  Effendi.  Yes,  a  good  Christian  is  better 
than  a  good  Mussulman.  Pray  for  me,  and  if  I  ever 
can  persuade  myself  that  Mahomed  was  a  mere  enthu- 
siast, 1  will  renounce  his  religion  at  the  risk   of  my  life. 

1  have  introduced  Mr.  Carne,  to  some  of  the  most  re- 
spectable Jews,  and  to  Don  Raphael,  who  has  written  to 
Henry  Drummond,  Esq.  John  Bayford,  Esq.  Professor 
Lee,  and  the  Rev.  Charles  Simeon.  Received  a  kind 
letter  from  Professor  Lee. 

Oct.  25.  Thursday. — Rabbi  Solomon  Wilna,  residing 
at  Jerusalem,  called  on  me,  and  wished  to  take  leave  as 
he  was  going  to  Alexandria.  I  met  with  the  son  of  the 
famous  Rabbi  Joseph  Ashkenas,  who  resides  at  Jerusa- 
lem ;  and  for  whom  i  have  got  letters  of  introduction. 
He  told  me,  that  1  should  be  delighted  to  converse  with 
his  old  father,  when  at  Jerusalem,  for  I  should  find  him 
a  great  philosopher,  and  learned  in  the  law. 

Oct.  26.  Friday. — Mr,  Clarke,  who  intended  to  pro- 
ceed on  his  journey  from  Cairo  to  Alexandria,  and  from 
thence  to  England,  has  determined  to  accompany  Mr. 
Carne  and  myself  to  mount  Sinai.  We  have  already 
got  our  firmans  and  letters  of  introduction  from  the 
Greek  patriarch,  for  the  convent  upon  mount  Sinai. 

This  evening  1  drank  tea  with  Mr.  (  arne  and  Mr. 
Clarke,  and  read  to  them  the  xxviiith,  xxixth,  xxxist, 
and  xxxiiid  chapters  of  Deut.  Deut.  xxix.  9,  "  The 
secret  things  belong  to  the  Lord  our  God  ;  but  those 
things  which  are  revealed,  belong  unto  us,  and  to  our 
children  for  evej:*,  that  we  may  do  all  the  words  of  this 
law." 

Oct.  27.  Saturday. — Mahomed  Effendi  called  on  me, 
and  told  me,  that  he  would  now  read  the  New  Testa- 
ment again,  and  he  hopes  he  may  read  it  with  a  better 


153 

spintthan  before  ;  he  said  I  had  not  solved  all  the  diffi- 
culties, but  had  spoken  to  his  heart,  and  that  he  per- 
ceived by  this,  that  Christianity  speaks  to  the  heart, 
which  is  not  the  case  with  the  Mahomedan  religion. 
The  Mahomedan  trembles  and  fears. 

/.  Friend,  pray  ;  and  you  will  perceive  and  expe- 
rience that  Jesus  is  your  Saviour.  The  Lord  appeared 
to  Abraham  in  human  shape  ;  (Gen.  xviii.)  Jacob  wrest- 
led with  the  Lord  ;  he  saw  God  face  to   ace. 

Mahomed  Effendi  (in  deep  melancholy.)  1  beg  of  you, 
as  you  are  going  to  mount  Sinai,  to  pray  for  me,  that  I 
may  be  enabled  to  see  whether  Jesus  is  that  angel  in  the 
wilderness. — I  may  tell  you,  that  1  pray  in  secret  five 
times  a  day.  I  owe  you  much  ;  I  beg  you  to  lend  me 
the  Confession  of  St.  Augustine. 

I  was  sorry  1  had  not  the  book  in  my  possession  ;  but 
made  him  a  present  of  Cowper's  poems,  which  I  had  re- 
ceived myself  as  a  present  from  Mr.  De  la  Condamine 
at  Malta,  and  I  gave  him  the  hymn-book  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Haw  trey. 

Mahomed  Effendi,  I  have  written  against  Christianity 
many,  many  years,  and  have  perverted  many  ;  as  soon 
as  I  shall  be  persuaded,  1  will  recant,  and  write  the  mo- 
tives of  my  final  reconciliation  with  Christianity. 

Oct.  28.  Sunday. — I  preached  again  to  a  German 
congregration.  I  took  for  my  text.  Exodus  xii.  40,  41, 
and  as  Mr.  Carne  was  present,  I  expounded  in  German 
and  English.  I  endeavoured  to  show  that  we  all  ought 
to  come  out  of  the  spiritual  Egypt,  and  become  the 
Lord's  host  by  enli>ting  under  the  standard  of  Christ. 
And  in  order  to  describe  to  my  congregation  the  true 
character  of  the  Lord's  host,  I  read  to  them  the  iiid 
chapter  of  the  epistle  to  the  Colossians,  and  the  ivth 
chapter  of  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  After  the  ser- 
mon and  prayer  were  over,  every  one  of  them  earnestly 
besought  me  to  procure  them  Bibles. 

Oct.  29.  Monday. — I  read  the  xiith  chapter  of  Exodus 
with  Mr.  Clarke,  and  prayed  to  God  for  a  safe  journey  to 
mount  Sinai.  After  the  prayer  was  over,  all  the  Ger- 
mans to  whom  I  preached  the  Gospel  oil  the  Sunday, 


154 

came  to  see  me  before  my  departure,  aud  desired  me  io 
take  care  of  my  health,  and  to  come  back  soon,  and 
procure  for  them  German  Bibles.  1  took  leave  of  some 
Jews  who  have  been  very  kindly  disposed  towards  me. 
The  Mahomedan,  named  Ali^  called  on  me. 

In  the  afternoon  at  two  o'clock,  Mr.  Carne,  Mr. 
Clarke,  and  myself,  mounted  upon  camels,  and  left 
Cairo  ;  my  servant  Frans  Six,  and  the  servant  of  Mr. 
Carne,  and  six  Arabs,  accompanied  us.  1  took  with 
me  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Arabic  Bibles  and  Testaments. 
On  our  way  to  Suez,  we  met  with  a  caravan  of  Arabs, 
who  rested  in  the  plain  of  the  desert  with  our  camel-dri- 
vers ;  I  sat  down  with  the  Arabs,  and  began  to  talk  witi> 
them  in  Arabic,  and  recited  the  Psalms  and  some  verses 
of  the  sermon  on  the  mount;  Matthew  v. 

Oct,  30. —  1  read  theviiith  chapter  of  the  Acts  to  the 
Arabs.  They  were  much  pleased  with  it.  This  desert 
place  excited  my  devotion  ;  1  thought  of  all  the  servants 
of  God  in  England. 

Oct.  3! . — We  arrived  at  Suez,  and  delivered  the  let- 
ter of  the  English  Consulate  to  Michael,  the  English  In- 
caricato  at  Suez  ;  we  were  very  well  received  by  his  sons, 
and  all  the  other  Greeks  of  tliat  town.  The  difference 
of  countenance  between  the  Greek  Christians  and  the 
Turks,  is  striking.  The  Christians  in  the  East,  are  just 
in  the  same  state  as  those  Jews  in  Europe,  who  are  op- 
pressed by  nominal  Christians,  timid,  and  always  in  the 
hope  of  being  delivered  by  a  powerful  prince.  I  gave 
the  Gospel  into  the  hands  of  a  Turk.  The  Greeks 
trembled  with  fear.  The  son  of  Michael  has  very  just 
views  of  Scripture.  Mr.  Carne,  Mr.  Clarke,  and  my- 
self, went  to  the  Aga  (commander)  of  the  town,  and  de- 
livered the  firman  of  Ali  Pasha,  which  he  received  with 
regard,  but  would  not  look  at  the  firman  of  the  grand 
Sultan,  whicn  Mr.  Carne  showed  to  him.  He  asked  us 
to  sit  down  near  him,  and  he  gave  to  each  of  us  a  cup  of 
coffee.  I  talked  with  him  in  Arabic,  and  told  him  that 
an  English  gentleman  has  translated  the  Koran  into  the 
English  tongue. 
We  then  went  on  the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  I  read 


155 

the  xvth  chapter  of  Exodus  in  Hebrew  and  English,  and 
offered  up  thanks  to  the  Lord,  for  his  mercy  which  he 
has  displayed  towards  Israel. 

JV  oy.  1.— We  left  Suez,  I  continued  to  read  the  Gos- 
pel to  the  Arabs. 

J^ov.  2. — Mr.  Clarke  and  I  prayed  together  on  the 
shores  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  read  Acts  vii.  and  Hebrews  xi. 

Jsfov,  3. — 1  continued  to  read  Arabic  with  the  Arabs. 
We  arrived  at  the  wells  of  Moses.  I  asked  them  wheth- 
er they  would  have  any  objection  to  my  teaching  their 
children  to  read.  They  said,  "  they  should  be  glad." 
As  we  supposed  they  meant  to  steal  our  provisions,  I 
spoke  to  ihem  of  the  presence  of  God.  They  laughed 
once  when  we  kneeled  down  to  prayer.  1  proved  to 
them  that  it  was  an  Haram  Allah,  to  laugh  at  persons 
who  speak  with  God  the  most  merciful,  who  has  created 
heaven  and  earth,  and  the  mountains,  and  who  is  One, 
and  his  name  One. 

jXov.  4. — We  arrived  in  the  valley  of  Farun.  We 
read  Scripture,  and  Neibuhr's  traveles.  The  account 
of  Neibuhr  stru^K  me  very  much,  where  he  speaks  of  the 
.Jews  in  Arabia,  who  have  their  Shechs.  They  are  cal- 
led Beni  Chabar. 

JVov.  6. — We  arrived  in  the  evening  in  the  convent  of 
St.  Catherine,  on  Mount  Sinai,  called  Jibbel  Musa,  the 
mount  of  Moses.  We  were  drawn  up  by  a  cord  through 
the  window.  I  desired  my  room.  VVe  all  kneeled  down 
and  prayed.  1  did  not  thisikthatl  should  have  been  so 
much  overpowered  by  the  thought,  "  the  place  whereon 
I  stand  is  lioly  ground."  I  am  now  on  the  very  spot, 
where,  as  is  generally  believed,  Moses  did  keep  the  flock 
of  his  father-in-law,  upon  the  mountains  of  God,  even 
Horeb ;  in  that  wilderness  where  he  encamped  at  the 
mount  of  Gody  where  the  angel  of  the  l^ord  appeared 
unto  him  in  a  flame  of  fire,  out  of  the  midst  of  a  bush  : 
where  he  looked,  and.  beiiold,  the  bush  burned  with  lire, 
and  the  bush  was  not  consumed  ;  where  Moses  turned 
aside  to  see  this  great  sight,  why  the  bush  was  not  burn- 
ed. I  was  much  overpowered  by  the  thought  ihatl  was 
on  that  very  spot,  where  tiie  Lord  called  unto  Moses  out 


156 

of  the  midst  of  the  bush,  and  said,  Moses,  Moses,  and 
he  said.  Here  am  I;  and  the  Lord  said  to  him,  Draw 
not  nigh  hither :  put  off  thy  shoes  from  off  thy  feet,  for 
the  place  whereon  thou  standest  is  holy  ground.  More- 
over he  said,  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob. 
And  Moses  hid  his  face;  for  he  was  afraid  to  look  upon 
God.  And  the  Lord  said.  I  have  surely  seen  the  afflic- 
tion of  my  people  which  are  in  Egypt,  and  have  heard 
their  cry  by  reason  of  their  task-masters ;  for  I  know 
their  sorrow. 

1  must  continue  to  describe  to  you  the  events  which 
came  into  my  mind,  and   which  made  such  impression 
that  I  shed  an  abundance  of  tears,  and  I  poured  out  my 
heart  in   prayer  to  God    with    my   companions.     How 
highly  favoured  of  the  Lord  have  been  my  forefathers. 
He  bare  them  out  on  eagle's  wings,  and  brought  them 
unto   himself,  and   designed  them  to  be  a  kingdom  of 
priests,  and  an  holy  nation  ;  a  fiery  law  went  from  them. 
The  angel  in  this  wilderness,  Christ,  did  go  before  them 
in  the  cloud  by  day,   and   in  a  pillar  of  fire  by   night. 
And  Moses  went  up  into  this  mount,  where  we  are  now, 
and  a  cloud  covered   the  mount,  and   the  glory  of  the 
Lord  abode  upon  mount  Sinai.     And  Moses  went  into 
the  midst  of  the  mount:     and  Moses  was  in  the  mount 
forty  days  and  forty  nights.    But  Israel  sinned  and  caus- 
ed Aaron  to  make  a  golden  calf:    and  continued  to  re- 
bel, and  the  wrath   of  the  Lord   waxed  hot  against  the 
people,  and  none  of  them  who  did  go  out  of  I'  g\pt  did 
see  ihe  land  of  promise,  except  Caleb  Ben  Jephune,  and 
Joshua.     Moses,  the  man  of  God,  saw  that  prophet  who 
was  like  unto  him,  but   he    did   not  see   the  good  land 
that  is  beyond  Jordan,  that  goodly  mountain  and  Leba- 
non, for  he  died   in  the  land  of  Moab,  according  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord  ;  and  he  buried  him  in  a  valley  in  the 
land  of  Moab,   over   against   Beth-peor,    but   no   man 
knoweth  of  his  sepulchre  unto  this  day  :  and  Moses  was 
one  hundred  and  twenty  years  old   when  he  died,   his 
eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his  natural  force  abated.    Millions 
of  my  ancestors  sleep  where  1  am  now  at  this  moment. 


157 

Dear  Mr.  D.  and  dear  Mr.  B.,  shall  we  not  see,  not- 
withstanding all  this,  some  of  them,  who  sleep  now  in 
this  desert,  among  those,  on  the  day  of  resurrection  , 
who  will  be  accepted  by  Christ?  May  we  not  cherish 
the  hope,  that  some  of  them  did  repent  before  they  shut 
their  eyes  to  sleep  the  deep  sleep  in  the  bed  of  the  wil- 
derness, on  this  spot,  where  your  Wolf  now  writes  these 
lines?  and  that  they  shall  rise  with  a  glorified  body? 
Christ,  thou  Lord  of  heaven,  thou  art  merciful,  thou  art 
just,  tiiou  art  wise,  and  thou  art  omniscient ;  and  thou 
wilt  act  according  to  thy  mercy,  according  to  thy  jus- 
tice, according  to  thy  wisdom,  and  according  to  thy 
truth,  and  wilt  remember  thy  covenant  with  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.  1  prayed  for  all  my  English  friends, 
and  prayed  the  Lord  that  he  might  give  me  his  Holy 
Spirit,  that  I  may  not  forget  to  mention  any  one  of  my 
friends  in  England.  I  prayed  likewise  for  Mr.  Salt,  and 
Mr.  Lee.  and  for  the  conversion  of  Mahomed  Effendi, 
and  the  conversion  of  all  the  Jews  ;  and  T  prayed  for 
the  king  and  the  high  court  of  parliament,  for  England, 
and  for  my  mother  in  Germany.  And  I  exclaimed  to 
the  Lord  :  "  Head  of  the  church,  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
sanctify  my  prayer,  by  thy  mighty  intercession  at  the 
right  hand  ol*  thy  heavenly  Father?"  I  pra3^ed  likewise 
in  this  manner  for  the  conversion  of  my  mother  and  re- 
lations, and  for  the  conversion  of  the  whole  world. 

JSPov.  7. — We  dined  in  company  of  the  polite  monks. 
After  the  dinner  was  over,  I  invited  the  priors  and  the 
elders  of  the  convent  to  come  into  my  room.  As  the 
superiors.  Pater  Maximus,  and  Pater  Gregorios,  speak 
no  language  but  the  Greek,  i  was  obliged  to  speak  with 
them  through  a  dragoman.  I  shewed  them  the  twelve 
Greek  and  twelve  Arabic  New  Testaments,  the  two  He- 
brew Bibles,  and  the  six  Arabic  Psalters,  which  1  intend 
to  present  to  the  members  of  the  convent.  They  ex- 
pressed their  joy  and  gratitude  ;  and  Pater  Maximus 
told  me,  that  there  are  120  Cin-istians  around  mount 
Sinai,  who  speak  Arabic,  and  he  wished  I  would  give 
him  more  copies  of  the  Arabic  New  Testament,  to  dis- 
tribute among  the  Christians.     I  told  him,  that  I  was 

14 


158 

sorry  I  had  not  a  larger  quantity  of  New  Testaments 
with  me,  but  I  could  procure  him  more  from  the  Eng- 
lish Bible  Society,  by  means  of  my  friend  Henry  Drum- 
mond,  Esq.,  and  I  would  myself  send  more  as  soon  as  I 
returned  to  Cairo.     I  told  tliem  after  this,  that  I  was  a 
Jew  by  birth,  and  having  been  called  by  God's  grace  to 
the  flock  of  Christ,  I  was  now  going  about  to  preach  the 
glad  tidings  to  the  Jewish  nation.     I  asked  Pater  Maxi- 
mus  first,  what  method  he  thinks  the  best  for  the  conver- 
sion of  the  Jews  ?     He  replied  to   me,   with  a  serious 
countenance,   that  the  best  method  was  to  give  to  them 
the  Gospel  of  Christ.     Another  priest  advised  me  to  go 
to  Salonichi,  and  converse  with  the  great  Rabbi,  and  if 
I  should   gain  his  confidence,   it  would  be  easy  to  con- 
verse with   all  the  Jews  at  Salonichi,   and   throughout 
Turkey.     I  asked  him,    secondly,   whetlier  he   thought 
the  Jews  would  be  finally  converted  ?■   Pater  Maximus 
replied,  that  he  had  no  doubt  the  Jews  would    return  to 
the  Lord  their  God,  for  the  prophets   are  full  of  it.     I 
asked,  thirdl}',  whether  he   would  be  ready  to  take  an 
active   part  in   promoting  the   word  of  God  ?     Pater 
Maximus  replied.   With  the  greatest  pleasure.     I  asked 
him,  fourthly,   whether  he  would  have  any  objection  of 
writing   a   letter  to    my  protector,    Henry  Drummond, 
Esq.,  and  express  his  readiness  to  promote  the  cause  of 
the  English   Bible   Societ^^  ?     Paler   Maximus  replied 
again.  With  the  greatest  pleasure.     After  I  had  propos- 
ed these  questions,  I  addressed  myself  to   them  with  a 
petition,   which  1  repeated   thrice,   namely,    that  all  the 
members  of  the  convent  upon  mount  Sinai,  should  pray  for 
the  conversion  of  the  Jews.      1  thrice  repeated  this  peti- 
tion, and  they  promised  me  three  times,  that  they  will 
pray  for  the  conversion  of  the  Jews.     And  it  does  afibrd 
to   me  great   consolation,   that  Christians  upon   mount 
Sinai,  where  Moses  predicted  of  that  prophet  like  unto 
himself,  1  say,  it  does  allbrd  me  great  consolation,  that 
these   Christians  offer  up   prayers  to  that  angel    in  the 
wilderness,   for  the  conversion  of  my  brethren.     And  I 
was  rejoiced,  that  dear  brother  Claike  did  feel  the  com- 
fort, for  he  told  me,  "1  am  very  glad   that  you  desired 


159 

them  to  pray  for  your  brethren."  I  must  here  observe, 
that  the  goodness  and  the  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord 
has  brought  me  to  Mr.  Clarke  :  he  is  a  gentleman,  who 
was  undoubtedly  useful  to  my  soul,  and  also  to  my 
worldly  concerns.  We  conversed  together  about  histo- 
ry, mathematics,  economy,  and  the  progress  the  king- 
dom ofChrist  has  made  in  beloved  England. 

JVov.  S. — The  first  superior  of  the  convent,  Pater 
Maximus,  invited  us  all  to  come  to  his  room,  I  repeat- 
ed my  petition,  that  they  should  pray  for  the  conversion 
of  the  Jews,  and  again  they  promised  it.  Dear  friends 
of  Israel  throughout  England,  I  beg  and  beseech  you, 
make  it  known  among  the  Jews  in  England,  (hat  pray- 
er is  made  for  tliem  upon  mount  Sinai.  1  observed  tlie 
Greek  New  Testament  open  upon  the  table  of  tiie  supe- 
rior. He  promised  me  again  to  write  a  letter  to  Henry 
Drummond,  Esq.  They  showed  to  us  after  this,  the 
place  where  it  is  supposed  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appear- 
ed unto  Moses  in  a  flame  of  fire  out  of  the  midst  of  the 
bush  ;  where  "  he  looked,  and,  behold,  the  bus'j  burn- 
ed with  fire,  and  the  bush  was  not  consumed." 

Li  the  afternoon.  Pater  Gregorion,  the  second  supe- 
rior, desired  me  to  call  upon  him  in  his  room.  J  called 
on  him  with  Mr.  Clarke  and  the  servant  of  Mr.  Carne, 
who  speaks  the  modern  Greek  language.  He  desired 
that  I  should  write  my  name  in  the  modern  Greek  and 
the  Arabic  New  Testaments,  and  expressed  the  desire  of 
maintaining  a  correspondence  with  me.  I  wrote  for  him 
my  address,  and  told  him  that  he  may  forward  letters 
by  means  of  the  British  consul  at  Alexandria.  He  pro- 
mised to  promote  the  cause  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society.  He  asked  me  whether  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  has  made  any  alteration  in  the 
manner  of  translating  the  text.  I  told  them  that  tliey 
publish  those  translations  which  have  been  adopted  cen- 
turies back — and  they  employed  a  native  Greek  priest, 
the  famous  Hilarion  of  Constantinople,  to  translate  the 
New  Testament  into  the  modern  Greek  language,  and 
that  the  late  patriarch  Gregory  has  been  a  zealous  pro- 


160 

moter  of  the  cause.     Pater  Gregorlon  told  me,  that  Hi- 
larion  is  a  member  of  the  convent  at  mount  Sinai. 

JVov.  9. — Tlie  priest  asked  us  whether  we  desired  to 
take  a  view  of  the  remarkable  antiquities  surrounding 
mount  Sinai.  We  desired  to  see  the  spot  where  it  is 
believed,  that  Moses  went  up  while  the  elders  tarried 
for  him  and  Joshua. 

They  all  regretted  they  could  not  accompany  us,  be- 
cause of  the  tribe  of  Arabs  with  whom  they  are  at  war, 
on  account  of  provisions  which  those  savages  demand, 
and  which  they  are  not  able  to  give  to  them.  They  are 
every  minute  expecting  a  letter  from  their  patriarch  at 
Cairo,  to  settle  the  business,  and  then  they  would  ac- 
company us  with  pleasure;  but  if  we  go  to-day,  they 
are  to  charge  those  Arabs  who  are  in  their  service,  to 
take  us  to  the  summit  of  mount  Sinai,  and  to  the  rock  of 
Meribah.  They  dissuaded  us  from  going  to  the  sum- 
mit of  St.  Catherine,  on  account  of  the  danger  to  which 
we  should  be  exposed,  and  its  being  hardly  worth  see- 
ing. Mr.  Clarke  and  myself,  therefore  determined  to 
see  only  the  summit  of  Moses,  and  the  rock  of  Meribah, 
and  then  to  go  back  to  the  monastery,  which  could  be 
done  all  in  one  day ;  but  Mr.  Carne  determined  to 
mount  the  summit  of  St.  Catherine.  That  he,  Mr.  Carne, 
might  not  be  alone,  we  determined  to  go  with  him, 
more  especially  as  we  had  no  Arab  who  might  have 
ffone  back  with  us  to  the  convent.  We  therefore  set 
out  in  the  morning,  and  arrived  safely  upon  the  summit 
of  Moses. 

I  read  to  the  company  in  English,  and  for  myself  in 
Hebrew,  Deut.  xxxii.  Exodus  xx.  and  xxiv.  some 
Psalms,  and  some  parts  of  the  New  Testament.  I  pray- 
ed for  all  the  mercies,  and  1  beg  you,  dear  Mr  .  Drum- 
mond  and  Mr.  Bayford,  tell  my  people  that  I  prayed 
for  their  salvation.  I  did  not  address  myself  to  Moses 
for  his  intercession,  for  he  died  in  the  land  of  Moab, 
and  no  man  knoweth  of  his  sepulchre  unto  this  day,  but 
I  addressed  myself  to  him  who  is  not  hidden,  who  died 
and  rose  again.  I  prayed  to  him,  that  his  blood  may 
come  indeed  over  Israel  and  their  children,  and  cleanse 


161 

them  from  their  sins — that  blood  which  crieth  better 
things  than  the  blood  of  Abel.  I  prayed  to  Jesus 
Christ,  who  spake  to  Moses  upon  this  very  mount,  and 
who  was  a  prophet  like  unto  him.  I  prayed  for  the 
whole  of  England  and  Germany,  for  the  Jewish  Society, 
and  its  protectors,  and  I  hope  I  did  not  forget  any  one 
of  my  friends  in  England,  JMalta,  and  Gibraltar.  Yea, 
I  remembered  the  family  of  dear  Count  Stolberg. 

After  this  we  went  to  a  house  wliich  belonged  to  the 
convent  called  Arbain,  and  I  sent  back  my  servant  with 
the  servant  of  Mr.  Carne,  who  was  attacked  by  a  vio- 
lent fever,  and  we  continued  our  journey  to  mount  St. 
Catherine. 

jVov.  10. — In  the  morning,  on  our  return  from  that 
weary  mount  St.  Catherine,  we  took  a  view  of  the  rock 
of  Meribah,  where  the  people  thirsted. 

On  our  return  to  the  convent  of  mount  Sinai,  a  tribe 
of  Arabs  attacked  us,  and  told  us  that  they  should  not 
permit  us  to  return  to  the  convent,  till  the  monks  of  the 
convent  gave  them  the  letter  they  expected  from  the 
president  of  the  convent  at  mount  Sinai,  who  resides  at 
Cairo,  and  until  they  received  sufficient  provisions  from 
the  convent.  I  told  them  that  we  did  not  belong  to  the 
convent,  but  were  English  travellers,  and  only  came  to 
see  mount  Sinai ;  but  my  talking  was  of  no  use  ;  they 
went  with  us  to  the  convent,  and  after  the  priests  had 
some  discussion  with  them  through  the  window,  the 
Arabs  determined  to  take  Mr.  Carne,  Mr.  Clarke,  and 
myself,  to  their  tents.  We  were  obliged  to  mount  cam- 
els, and  as  I  liad  sent  back  my  Bibles  to  the  convent  from 
the  summit  of  Moses,  by  means  of  my  servant,  1  was 
left  without  a  Bible,  VVe  slept  the  first  niglit  in  the 
field.  Those  savages  discussed  the  subject  amongst 
themselves,  and  after  a  little  time  one  of  the  Sliechs, 
Hassan  by  name,  told  me  it  was  the  wish  of  the  Arabs, 
that  we  should  write  a  letter  to  t!ie  English  consul  at 
Cairo,  and  tell  him  that  the  Arabs  had  taken  us  on  ac- 
count of  the  priests,  who  would  give  them  neither  meat 
or  drink,  and  that  we  should  be  kept  in  prison  until  the 
English  consul  compelled  the  president  of  the  Greek 
14* 


162 

convent  at  Cairo  to  send  the  desired  letter  to  their  con- 
vent at  mount  Sinai.  And  they  desired  farther,  that  we 
should  add  that  the  priests  upon  mount  Sinai  are  sons 
of  devils,  and  sons  of  robbers,  and  sons  of  the  cursed, 
for  they  are  in  the  possession  of  a  book,  called  the  Book 
of  Moses,  which  they  have  buried  in  the  ground,  and 
as  often  as  they  take  that  book  in  their  hand,  and  say ; 
*'  O  God,  send  down  rain  from  heaven,"  the  Lord  sends 
rain  in  abundance,  but  they  are  so  wicked  as  to  leave 
the  book  always  buried.  I  told  them  that  God  is  the 
God  of  the  Arabs  as  well  as  of  the  Greeks,  and  that 
they  should  pray  to  God,  and  God  will  hear  them  as 
well  as  the  Greeks.  They  replied,  that  God  never 
minds  the  prayer  of  an  Arab. 

JVby.  11. — We  wrote  a  letter  to  the  consul,  and  sent 
it  by  means  of  an  Arab  to  Cairo.  Our  servant,  who 
remained  in  the  convent,  and  the  monks  of  the  convent 
themselves,  likewise  sent  a  courier  to  Cairo.  We  re- 
mounted the  camels,  however,  and  continued  our  jour- 
ney towards  the  camp  of  Shech  Hassan  :  they  treated 
lis  with  great  civility  and  kindness. 

jYov.  12. — We  arrived  in  Shech  Hassan's  camp,  and 
they  had  determined  that  we  should  remain  there,  until 
the  letter  from  Cairo  shall  arrive.  This  would  have 
been  more  than  twelve  days.  I  tried  to  make  my  stay 
among  them  useful  by  conversing  with  them  about  eter- 
nal truth,  but  none  of  the  Arabs  had  a  desire  to  listen. 
1  was  much  afflicted  indeed,  and  1  wanted  true  Christian 
resignation,  and  patience.  Mr.  Clarke  comforted  me, 
and  reminded  me,  that  we  must  be  resigned  to  the  will 
of  God.  I  prayed  the  Lord  for  our  deliverance,  that  I 
might  go  forth  again,  and  preach  that  everlasting  Gos- 
pel which  proclaims  glory  to  the  Most  High,  and  good 
will  towards  men  ;  that  I  might  proclaim  again  my  bles- 
sed Master's  love ;  that  I  might  proclaim  Him  again 
who  hath  singled  me  from  the  rest,  who  hath  given  me 
all  demonstrations  of  his  kindness. 

JS^ov.  13, — Shech  Ibrahim,  one  of  the  Arab  Shechs, 
arrived  in  the  camp  of  Shech  Hassan;  he  knew  us  very 
well,  for  he  had  seen  us  at  Suez;  and  at  the   time  we 


163 

saw  him  at  Suez,  Mr.  Clarke  gave  him  medicine  without 
price,  and  without  money.  He  mentioned  all  these  cir- 
cumstances to  Shech  Hassan,  and  Shech  Ali,  one  of 
Avhom  took  us  prisoners,  and  told  them  that  the  com- 
mander of  Suez  had  received  us  with  considerable  re- 
gard and  respect.  I  talked  then  again  with  them,  and 
told  them  that  the  Pasha,  who  is  a  friend  of  the  British 
nation,  would  punish  them.  Shech  Ibrahim  went  with 
me  aside,  and  told  me  that  he  would  go  that  \ery  night 
to  Shech  Saiikh's  camp,  who  is  the  first  of  the  Shechs 
throughout  the  desert,  and  we  should  soon  be  rescued. 
Sliech  Ibrahim  performed  his  promise,  he  set  off  that 
very  night  for  the  camp  of  Shech  Salikh. 

J\i'ov.  14. — Shech  SaliUh,  in  the  company  of  fifty 
other  Shechs,  arrived  in  the  camp  of  Sliech  Hassan. 
They  assembled  in  a  large  tent.  I  went  among  them, 
and  said  :  "  We  belong  to  the  English  nation,  we  came 
here  to  visit  the  spot  where  Moses  gave  his  holy  laws, 
and  we  have  been  taken  with  the  greatest  injustice  ;  and 
I  am  sure  that  the  Pasha  will  take  steps  for  our  deli\er- 
ance  ;  but  if  we  are  immediately  dismissed,  we  will  in- 
tercede for  you  with  the  British  consul." 

JVo2\  15. — All  the  Shechs  had  determined  to  free  us 
out  of  our  captivity,  and  they  asked  us  whether  we 
would  return  to  mount  Sinai,  or  go  back  to  Cairo.  We 
determined  to  go  back  to  Cairo;  and  we  sent  an  Arab 
to  mount  Sinai  to  fetch  the  servant  of  Mr.  Carne,  (for 
my  servant  was  already  arrived  with  Shech  Salikh,) 
and  our  clothes ;  and  that  very  day  we  left  the  camp  of 
Shech  Hassan,  and  on  the  1 9th,  arrived  at  the  hot 
springs,  and  the  passage  of  Moses;  we  waited  there  till 
the  22d  of  November,  for  the  servant  of  Mr.  Carne. 
After  his  arrival,  we  proceeded  on  our  journey  upon 
camels  to  Suez,  where  we  were  very  kindly  received  by 
the  British  agent,  Michael ;  and  the  Turkish  command- 
er sent  his  son  to  our  room,  to  enquire  into  the  circum- 
stances of  our  being  made  prisoners.  The  Greek  priest 
at  Suez,  shewed  me  the  little  chapel,  and  requested 
Arabic  Psalters  and  New  Testaments. 


164 

JVov,  24. — We  left  Suez  and  arrived  at  Cairo  on  the 
27th.  The  Consul  General,  Mr.  Salt,  and  his  whole 
family,  received  me  with  uncommon  kindness,  and  Mr. 
Salt  told  me,  that  I  might  again  have  a  room  in  his 
bouse,  and  he  rejoiced  my  heart  by  telling  me,  that  Mr. 
English  has  given  up  the  idea  of  remaining  a  raahome- 
dan. 

JVov.  28. — I  introduced  Mr.  Clark  to  several  respect- 
able Jews.  They  received  me  with  great  kindness  ;  and 
the  amiable  old  Ellas  Haja  told  me,  that  he  had  disputed 
with  all  the  Jews  at  Alexandria  on  my  account,  and  had 
told  them,  '  VVe  must  argue  and  reason  with  Mr.  Wolf, 
and  ;  if  he  is  right,  we  must  submit  ourselves.'  1  intro- 
duced Mr.  Clark  likewise  to  Mahomed  Effendi.  The 
Bible  lay  upon  his  table  ;  he  wished  that  I  would  give  him 
fifteen  days  notice  of  my  departure.  I  shall  stay  here 
some  days,  and  proceed  on  my  journey  to  mount  Leba- 
non, where  I  shall  stay  till  the  month  of  January,  in  the 
convent  of  Dir  Muhalias,  to  perfect  myself  in  Arabic; 
and  till  February  at  Jafl'a,  to  learn  Spanish. 

On  my  return  from  mount  ISinai,  1  found  in  the  Con- 
sulate very  kind  letters  of  Drs.  Naudi  and  Gaisford, 
Henry  Drummond,  Esq.  the  Malta  Bible  Society,  and 
De  la  Condamine,  Esq. 

Henry  Salt,  Esq.  promised  to  furnish  me  to-day  with 
the  necessary  Bibles  for  the  convent. 

jYov.  30.— Mahomed  Effendi,  (Mr.  English,)  called 
on  me  to-day,  and  conversed  with  me  again  for  above 
two  hours.  1  told  him  what  comfort  and  consolation  I 
felt  upon  mount  Sinai,  when  I  addressed  myself  to  that 
angel  who  hath  redeemed  me  from  all  evil ;  when  I  ad- 
dressed myself  to  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  come  again  with 
power  and  great  glory.  I  told  him,  that  1  prayed  for 
him  likewise,  that  he  might  return  to  the  good  Shepherd 
of  souls  ;  that  he  might  come  back  and  publish  his  praise. 
Poor  Mahomed  Efi'endi  is  not  yet  so  far  advanced  as  I 
hoped,  but  is  enquiring.  St.  John  is  still  a  stumbling- 
block  to  him,  for  he  spake  like  a  Platonist.  I  told  him, 
that  I  have  myself  seen  the  servants  of  God,  old  men, 
without  education,   and  without  knowledge  of  modern 


165 

philosophy,  who  knew  very  well  in  their  preaching  the 
truth,  to  accommodate  themselves  to  the  idiom  which 
is  used  at  the  present  time  among  the  philosophers  in 
Europe  ;  for  true  servants  of  Christ  speak  as  they  are 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  St.  John  took  no  thought 
how,  or  what  he  spake,  for  it  was  given  him  in  that  same 
hour  what  he  spake. 

JVov.  30. — I  have  determined  to  leave  Cairo  for  Da- 
mietta  on  the  3dof  December,  and  to  stay  ten  days  there, 
and  from  thence  to  proceed  on  my  journey  to  mount 
Lebanon,  Jaffa  and  Jerusalem.  Henry  Salt,  Esq.  had 
the  kindness  to  give  me  a  general  letter  to  the  English 
Consul.  Bouglit  an  English  Bible  for  eight  piastres, 
and  gave  it  to  Khalil  Agha,  an  American  renegado,  who 
is  in  a  ver}'  distressed  state.  I  went  to  the  Greek  con- 
vent of  St.  Johannes,  and  induced  the  superior  to  write  a 
letter  to  you,  and  manifest  his  wish  to  promote  the  cause 
of  the  Bible  Society. 

1  must  now  pour  out  my  heart  again  before  thee,  O 
my  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  for  thou  art  the  Lord  who  hast 
governed  the  hearts  of  wild  Arabs,  so  that  they  have 
treated  us  courteously,  and  has  finally  dismissed  us  out 
of  the  prison,  and  I  am  now  able  to  proceed  on  my  pil- 
grimage towards  Jerusalem.  Oh  Lord  thou  art  great 
incomprehensibly  great;  thy  kindness  knows  no  mea- 
sure ;  thou  art  the  reward  of  thy  saints  ;  thou  art  now 
the  staff  of  my  hope  ;  be  now,  thou,  O  Lord,  my  com- 
panion, my  counsellor,  and  my  guide,  that  I  may  not 
preach  in  vain  to  my  brethren  ;  not  preach  in  vain  that 
VVord  which  condescended  to  dwell  among  them,  which 
became  flesh  among  them,  who  did  not  abhor  the  Virgin's 
womb.  To  thee,  O  Lord,  be  praise  and  glory,  honour 
and  adoration,  for  ever  !  Amen. 

Joseph  Wolf, 


166 

LETTER  TO  THE  MALTA  BIBLE  SOCIETY, 

Cairo,  in  the  British  Consulate,  Dec  2,  1821. 

I  hasten  to  communicate  to  you  my  proceedings  from 
the  29th  of  October,  to  the  present  time. 

After  I  had  taken  leave  of  the  German  congregation, 
composed  of  Roman  Catholics  and  Protestants,  lo 
whom  1  preached  the  Gospel  of  Christ  every  Sunday,  in 
the  house  of  Henry  Salt,  Esq.,  I  set  off  for  an  excursion 
lo  mount  Sinai,  encouraged  to  that  purpose  by  Peter 
Lee,  Esq.  I  undertook  my  journey  in  the  company  of 
two  English  gentlemen.  As  Mr.  Salt  was  not  yet  re- 
turned from  Alexandria,  his  chancellor  procured  me  a 
firman  from  the  governor  at  Cairo.  I  took  with  me 
twelve  Greek,  and  two  Arabic  New  Testaments,  two 
Hebrew  Bibles,  twelve  Arabic  Psalters,'  and  three  He- 
brew Psalters,  which  1  intended  to  present  to  the  con- 
vent upon  mount  Sinai :  for  as  these  poor  monks  live 
from  the  charity  of  travellers,  and  as  no  one  l)as  yet 
carried  tlje  Bible  to  that  ancient  spot,  I  judged  that  the 
Bible  Society  would  approve  of  my  giving  to  ihem  the 
word  of  God  without  money  and  without  price.  I  took 
three  camels,  upon  one  of  which  1  rode,  upon  another 
my  servant,  and  the  third  was  laden  with  the  trunks  of 
Bibles  and  Testaments.  I  read  the  Gospel  to  those 
Arabs  that  accompanied  us  on  our  way  to  mount  Sinai, 
they  listened  to  me  with  attention,  as  well  when  I  read  to 
them  the  sermon  on  the  mount,  as  when  I  talked  with 
them  about  the  most  merciful  God,  who  is  one,  who  will 
judge  those  that  believe  and  those  that  do  not.  I  paid 
1 10  piastres  for  each  camel.  We  arrived  there,  1  think, 
on  the  6th  of  November,  12  o'clock  at  night;  we  were 
drawn  up  by  a  cord  through  the  window,  for  the  monks 
never  open  the  gate  on  account  of  the  Arabs.  We  were 
received  most  cordially,  and  we  breakfasted  the  next 
morning  with  tlie  monks,  the  number  of  whom  consists 
of  twenty-five.  I  invited  the  superiors  to  come  into  my 
ri>om.  After  dinner,  Pater  M.  and  Pater  G.  the  two 
superiors,  and  some  of  the  most  clever  men  among  them, 


167 

entered  my  room.  I  declared  to  them  my  mission  ; 
tliey  lifted  up  their  eyes  towards  heaven,  and  praised 
God.  As  they  talked  only  modern  Greek,  I  was  oblig- 
ed to  speak  with  them  by  means  of  a  dragoman.  I 
desired  every  one  of  them  to  pray  for  the  salvation  of 
the  Jews ;  I  did  three  times  beseech  them  to  pray  for  the 
Jews,  and  they  did  three  times  most  solemnly  promise 
to  pray  for  the  salvation  of  the  Jews.  And  if  yon  should 
meet  with  any  Jews,  especially  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parienti, 
tell  them,  that  upon  Sinai,  prayers  are  offered  up  for  the 
salvation  of  Israel  ;  tell  them,  that  their  brother  Joseph 
Wolf,  prayed  upon  Sinai  to  that  very  Jehovah  who  ap- 
peared to  Moses  in  the  thorn-bush,  for  his  brethren  that 
they  might  be  saved  ;  that  they  may  look  to  him — 
to  that  angel  in  the  wilderness,  whom  our  forefathers 
have  pierced — and  mourn.  I  showed  them  after  this, 
the  holy  writings,  which  I  intended  to  make  them  a  pre- 
sent of.  They  were  highly  rejoiced,  and  asked  me  whe- 
ther I  could  give  them  more  copies  of  the  Arabic  New 
Testament,  to  distribute  among  the  neighbouring  Chris- 
tians at  Tur  and  other  places,  who  speak  no  other  lan- 
guage but  Arabic.  I  regretted  that  I  had  not  taken 
more  copies  with  me,  but  told  them  that  I  might  pro- 
cure more  for.  them  by  means  of  the  British  Consul- 
General  at  Cairo,  and  after  I  had  made  them  acquaint- 
ed with  the  object  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety, I  asked  them  whether  they  would  be  ready  to 
promote  the  cause  of  that  Society',  and  whether  they 
would  declare,  by  a  letter  directed  to  my  employer,  their 
disposition  to  promote  the  cause  of  that  Society.  They 
replied,  "  With  the  greatest  pleasure."  They  told  me, 
that  Hilarion  (whom  I  mentioned  to  them)  is  a  member 
of  the  convent  of  mount  Sinai.  Tliey  told  me  that  Sa- 
lonichi  would  be  a  great  field  for  my  missionary  labours. 
The  superior  invited  us  the  following  morning  (Nov.  8,) 
to  his  room  ;  1  talked  over  with  him  the  whole  matter  ; 
but  Patfr  G.  took  the  most  lively  interest,  and  invited 
me  in  the  evening  to  his  room,  desired  that  I  should 
v.'rite  my  name  and  the  name  of  my  employer,  and  my 
direction  in  several   Bibles  which   I  had  ^iven  to  them, 


168 

and  expressed  a  wish  to  be  in  continual  correspondence 
with  me.  I  told  him,  that  he  should  direct  his  letters  for 
me  to  the  British  Consulate  of  Cairo  or  Alexandria. 
The  monks  told  us  that  they  should  not  be  able  to  ac- 
company us  to  the  summit  of  Moses  and  St.  Catharine, 
on  account  of  the  tribe  of  Arabs,  who  would  press  them 
for  money  and  provisions,  which  they  could  not  supply 
them  with,  and  who  would  probably  offer  violence  to 
any  one  of  their  members,  if  they  met  with  him  out  of 
the  convent ;  but  they  would  send  some  Arabs  with  us, 
who  are  friends  of  them.  We  therefore  went  in  the 
company  of  an  Arab,  (on  Nov.  9th)  to  the  summit  of 
Moses  ;  I  read  there  in  Hebrew  and  English,  Exodus 
XX.  xxiv.  Deut.  xxxii.  and  Matthew  v.,  after  this  we 
went  to  the  rock  of  Meribah  and  St.  Catharine,  but  on 
our  return  to  the  convent,  twelve  of  that  tribe  who  had 
been  at  war  with  the  convent,  attacked  and  compelled 
us  to  go  with  them  to  their  tents,  three  days'  journey 
distant  from  the  convent,  and  told  us,  that  they  should 
keep  us  until  the  superiors  of  the  convent  at  Cairo  had 
written  to  the  monks  of  the  convent  upon  mount  Sinai, 
that  they  would  give  them  the  provisions  they  required. 
I  told  them  in  Arabic,  that  we  belonged  to  the  English 
nation,  and  that  they  should  be  answerable  for  their  con- 
duct ; — it  was  of  no  use — they  told  us,  that  we  should 
send  a  courier  to  Cairo,  and  give  notice  to  the  English 
Consul,  of  our  having  been  taken  captive  by  the  Arabs, 
and  that  they  are  determined  to  keep  us  until  the  Con- 
sul has  compelled  the  president  of  the  convent  of  St.  Gi- 
ovanni at  Cairo,  who  is  first  president  of  the  Sinai  con- 
vent, to  send  orders  to  his  monks  at  Sinai  to  provide 
the  Arabs  with  as  much  provisions  as  they  require. 
Our  servants,  who  remained  in  the  convent,  and  Messrs. 
C  and  C.  and  myself,  sent  couriers  to  the  British  con- 
sulate at  Cairo,  and  having  been  obliged  to  mount  the 
camels,  we  arrived  on  the  third  day  in  the  camp  of  two 
rich  Shechs,  called  Hassan  and  Musa.  I  tried  to  talk 
with  them  about  religion,  but  they  turned  their  backs, 
and  I  was  not  provided  with  any  copy  of  the  Arabic 
New  Testament.     I  was  very  much  distressed  indeed  ; 


1G9 

but  on  the  thn*d  day  of  our  stay  in  the  camp,  a  Shech, 
who  saw  us  at  Suez,  where  we  were  very  well  received 
by  the  commander  of  that  town,  who  is  a  Turk — arriv- 
ed at  the  camp  of  Hassan,  recognized  us,  and  told  Shech 
Hassan,  that  Mr.  C.  has  been  very  kind  towards  liim, 
and  gave  him  medicine.  I  told  him  of  the  injustice  of 
his  countrymen,  and  told  him,  in  the  presence  of  those 
Shechs  who  took  us  captive,  that  the  Pasha  would  take 
steps  for  rescuing  us.  Shech  Ibraliim  called  me  aside, 
and  promised  me  that  we  should  be  set  at  liberty  in  two 
days.  He  went  that  very  evening,  on  our  account,  to 
the  camp  of  Salikh,  who  is  tl)e  first  Shech  throughout 
the  desert,  and  a  friend  to  the  Pasha.  Shech  Salikh  ar- 
rived the  following  day  with  fifty  other  Shechs,  and  my 
servant,  who  had  left  the  convent,  arrived  safely  in  our 
prison,  under  the  protection  of  Salikh.  I  went  among 
all  the  Siiechs,  and  told  them,  '  that  we  must  be  dismis- 
sed immediately,  and  I  was  sure  they  would  be  punish- 
ed if  they  did  not  dismiss  us.'  After  a  discussion  of  two 
hours,  we  were  dismissed  from  our  captivity,  where  we, 
however,  had  been  treated  with  tlie  greatest  civility  and 
kindness.  We  met,  on  our  return  to  Suez,  the  couriers 
of  the  governor  of  Cairo,  with  orders  to  Shech  Salikh, 
that  we  should  bring  bound  the  Shechs  of  that  tribe  who 
had  taken  us  prisoners.  We  arrived  safely  at  Cairo  on 
the  2Gth  of  November.  Mr.  Salt  was  already  come 
back  from  Alexandria  to  Cairo  :  he  received  me  with 
the  greatest  kindness,  and  I  met  with  the  same  kind  re- 
ce])tion  from  Mvs.  Salt  and  her  mother.  Mr.  Salt  was 
so  kind  as  to  give  me  my  former  room  in  his  house,  and 
I  thus  enjoy  agnin  the  greatest  pleasure  of  getting  infor- 
mation and  advice  from  that  learned  gentleman.  He 
shows  me  the  most  interesting  ancient  books  of  his  libra- 
ry ;  and  as  I  shall  leave  Cairo  in  three  or  four  days, 
direct  for  Jerusalem,  he  has  kindly  furnished  me  with  a 
general  letter  of  introduction  to  all  the  British  Consuls 
and  agents,  and  is  procuring  me  a  firman  from  the  Pa- 
sha trom  Egypt,  for  that  of  St.  Jean  D'Arc. 

I  have  nitroduced  Mr.  C.  to  some  of  those  Jews  with 
whom  I  conversed;  and  the  monks  of  mount  Sinai  sent 

15 


170 

me  a  receipt  for  the  Bibles  I  presented  to  them,  and 
wrote  to  their  president  residin^]^  at  Cairo,  that  he  should 
write  to  Henry  Drmnmond,  Esq.  that  they  should  be 
obliged  if  the  Bible  Society  would  furnish  them  with 
Bibles  and  tracts,  and  that  they  are  ready  to  distribute 
them  among  the  poor. 

The  supf^rior  wrote  that  letter,  and  called  yesterday 
on  Henry  Salt,  Esq.  the  British  Consul  General,  who 
recommended  the  cause  of  the  Bible  Society  most  warm- 
ly to  the  superior.  The  superior  of  mount  Sinai  deliv- 
ered to  me  after  this,  the  letter  for  Henry  Drummond, 
Esq.  Mr.  Salt  charged  me  likewise  to  tell  you,  that  he 
should  have  written  to  you,  Gentlemen,  long  ago,  but 
that  he  had  been  unAell  ;  God  be  thanked,  his  health 
is  now  restored.  Yesterday  [  preached  to  my  German 
congregation.  Messrs.  C.  and  C.  and  one  Jew  like- 
wise were  present.  All  the  Germans  now  desire  Bibles 
and  ^  ew  Testaments.  You  should  send  to  Henry  Salt, 
Esq  and  Mr.  Lee,  a  quantity  of  German  Bibles  and 
Testaments  ;  fifty  copi'-s  would  not  be  too  many. 

I  should  be  glad  if  Dr.  Naudi  would  send  the  enclo- 
sed letter  to  Bergamo,  near  Milan  ;  it  is  a  letter  of  a 
poor  widow  to  her  son,  who  called  on  me  to  day,  and 
desired  me  to  write  a  letter  to  her  son  and  sister.  I 
wrote  to  them  that  they  might  forward  the  letter  by  the 
Austrian  Consul  at  Malta.  Dr.  Naudi  will  be  so  kind 
as  to  deliver  the  letter  to  his  brother-in-law  the  Consul, 
that  he  may  forward  the  letter  to  Milan.  I  shall  keep 
an  account  of  those  Bibles  I  have  sold,  and  the  expence 
I  had  with  Procopius  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  I  think  1  shall 
be  able  to  send  you  forty  or  fifty  dollars.  1  leave  Cairo 
for  Jerusalem  this  week.  Mr.  Salt  has  furnished  me 
with  letters  of  introduction.  Send  all  my  letters  either 
directly  to  Aleppo,  or  to  Peter  Lee,  Esq. 

Cairo,  December  7 J  1S2L 
My  very  dear  Patron, 
As  I  am  about  to  leave  Egypt,  and  the  family  of  dear 
Mr.  Salt,  where   1   received  so   much   kindness,  and    to 
proceed  on  my  journey  to  Jerusalem,  I  make  use  of  this 


171 

moment  of  leisure  to  write  to  you  and  acknowledge  your 
dear  letter  of  the  3d  of  September,  which  gave  me  great, 
very  great  joy  indeed.  1  only  regret  that  it  was  not  a 
longer  letter  1  go  now  every  day  farther  and  farther 
iVom  the  English  people,  and  shall  be  obliged  to  dwell 
among  a  people  whose  feelings,  religion,  and  rites,  are 
so  different  from  those  I  have  been  accustomed  to  see  in 
the  land  of  energy,  integrity,  and  piety  ;  in  the  land  of 
gentlemen,  in  one  word — in  England — but  this  is  my 
destination — to  go  to  a  people,  whose  heart  is  fat,  whose 
ears  are  heavy,  and  whose  eyes  are  shut.  Lord,  here 
am  1,  send  me!  You  will  perceive  by  the  letter  1  have 
written  to  Mr.  Bayford,  the  alteration  which  has  taken 
place  in  IMr.  English's  heart — it  is  not  my  work  at  all — 
God  forbid  that  I  should  say  this — it  was  the  Lord's 
work.  Mr.  English  read  the  Bible  I  gave  him,  he 
read  the  books  of  Scott,  Paley,  Ambrose,  and  Augus- 
tin,  and  he  prayed  ;  and  I  hope  and  trust  the  Lord  has 
touched  his  heart ;  he  no  longer  considers  it  as  a  delu- 
sion, when  I  speak  with  him  of  the  hope  which  is  in  me. 
I  called  to  day  on  Osman  Noureddin  Effendi,  a  Mus- 
sulman by  birth,  a  young  gentleman,  perhaps,  twenty- 
seven  years  of  age  .  he  travelled  some  years  ago  through 
Switzerland,  France,  and  Italy,  at  the  expence  of  the 
Pasha ;  he  understands  the  Italian,  French,  English,  Per- 
sian, Arabic,  and  Turkish  tongues  ;  he  is  now  employed 
by  the  Pasha  to  translate  some  French  works  into  the 
Arabic  tongue.  I  have  already  mentioned  to  you,  that 
we  sometimes  read  Persian  together,  and  I  made  him  a 
present  of  an  Arabic,  Persian,  Turkish,  and  French  New 
Testament,  Reports  of  the  Bible  Society,  and  Buchan- 
an's Researches,  and  other  books,  proving  the  truth  of 
the  Christian  religion.  Some  weeks  after  1  returned  to 
him,  1  was  rejoiced  to  perceive  that  he  had  read  the  New 
Testament.  He  made  me  a  present  of  a  book  called 
Fakhr  Aldin,  in  the  Persian  tongue,  a  most  beautiful 
manuscript,  which  I  have  sent  you  as  a  little  mark  of  the 
gratitude  1  feel  towards  you  ;  should  you  not  be  pleased 
with  it,  I  beg  you  to  send  it  to  the  Jewish  Seminary  at 
Stansted  Park 


172 

I  shall  stop  some  weeks  at  Jaffa,  with  the  intention  of 
perfecting  myself  in  the  Spanish  tongue  ;  and  as  Mr. 
Salt  has  kindly  procured  me  letters  of  introduction  for 
the  Armenian  convent  at  Jerusalem,  I  shall  lodge  in  that 
convent  and  learn  the  Turkish  language  ;  tor  aller  1 
shall  be  perfect  master  of  the  Turkish  and  Spanish  lan- 
guages, I  shall  be  qualified,  by  God's  grace,  to  converse, 
not  only  with  all  the  Jews  scattered  from  the  columns 
of  Hercules  to  the  Ganges,  but  witli  all  the  Jews  through- 
out the  world,  and  then  1  have  nothing  to  do,  but  to  pray 
for  a  blessing  from  above,  without  which  all  my  labours, 
and  all  the  knowledge  of  languages,  will  be  of  no  use. 
I  shall,  on  my  arrival  at  Jerusalem,  regulate  myself  ac- 
cording to  the  instructions  you  have  given  me  ;  that  is, 
1  shall  lay  aside  for  some  time  the  Jews  and  Catholics, 
and  read  in  the  Armenian  convent,  the  Turkish  New 
Testament,  and  the  writings  of  St.  Niersus,  the  Augus- 
tine of  Armenia.  Oh,  how  happy  should  1  be,  if  you 
would  come  to  me  at  Jerusalem,  ^nd  Mr.  Bayford,  and 
the  Rev.  Lewis  Way. 

Dan  Rafael  de  Monacis,  once  professor  of  Arabic  at 
Paris,  has  given  me  letters  of  introduction  for  mount 
Lebanon.  I  have  sent  you  two  books,  containing  the 
original  of  my  journals,  by  E.  C.  Esq. 

I  am  exceedingly  rejoiced,  that  I  have  been  able  to 
maintain  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  without  having  given 
offence  to  any  body  ;  on  the  contrary,  there  are  Jews,  as 
for  instance,  Elias  Haja,  and  others,  who  have  become 
my  intimate  friends  ;  and  Osman  Noureddin  has  become 
acquainted  with  the  principles  of  the  Gospel,  and  the 
tendency  of  Christian  missions,  without  my  having  one 
single  controversy  with  him.  My  master,  Mustaffa, 
Effendi,  has  written  to  you  and  professor  Lee,  stating, 
that  he  observed  ray  arguments  against  the  Jews,  have 
been  stronger  than  they  used.  The  Jews  at  Cairo  have 
provided  me  with  letters  to    Jews  at  Jerusalem. 

You  cannot  conceive  the  joy  the  monks  upon  Sinai 
expressed,  when  1  brought  to  them  the  word  of  God. 
\  would  have  written  long  ago  to  Sir  Thomas  Baring, 


173 

and  thanked  him  for  his  kind  recommendation,  if  I  had 
not  been  so  mucli  engaged. 

There  is  no  doubt,  but  that  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Salt 
has  greatly  contributed  to  Mr.  English's  alteration.  Mr. 
Salt  continued  to  treat  Mr.  E.  with  love,  even  after  he 
had  renounced  the  Lord,  and  Mr.  English  himself  told 
me  that  he  met,  in  Mr.  Salt,  a  gentleman  of  the  old 
English  school. 

JOURNAL    CONTINUED. 

Decemher  7. — Osman  Noureddin  Eflendi  has  made 
me  a  present  of  a  most  beautiful  manuscript  in  the  Per- 
sian tongue  ;  the  author  of  it  is  Fakhr  Aldin.  I  have 
sent  it  to  Mr.  Drummond,  to  give  him  another  litde 
proof  of  my  love  towards  him. 

I  separate  myself  with  a  very  heavy  heart  from  the 
family  of  Mr.  Salt.  Every  day  farther  and  farther  from 
dear  English  gentlemen  ;  and  the  more  I  separate  my- 
self from  them,  the  nearer  I  am  approaching  a  perverted 
generation. 

I  prayed  to  God  to  enable  me  to  preach  the  Gospel 
faithfully  without  offending  any  body  ;  the  first  reason  is, 
that  it  is  a  Christian  duty  not  to  offend  any  body  ;  the 
second,  to  see  whether  a  missionary  may  not  be  able  to 
maintain  the  truth,  without  hurting  the  feeling  of  persons 
who  are  of  a  different  opinion;  thirdly,  to  prove  to  other 
missionaries  that  there  is  a  possibihty  of  preaching  the 
Gospel  in  the  East,  without  making  a  noise  or  exposing 
themselves  to  insults.  If  I  had  gone  to  the  rabbies  at 
Cairo,  and  told  them,  '  Yon  are  wrong,'  they  would 
have  shut  the  door  against  me,  and  burned  the  Gospel  I 
offered  them  ;  but  now  they  are  reading  it.  [f  I  had 
gone  to  Osman  Eff.  ndi,  and  told  him,  '  Examine  the 
Scripture,  and  see  what  is  false  or  true,'  he  would  have 
turned  me  out  of  his  room  ;  but  I  offered  him  simply 
the  Gospel,  as  a  book  worthy  of  his  attention ;  and  now 
I  perceive  he  has  read  it.  Christ,  who  knew  tlie  heart 
of  man,  was  able  to  call  some  hyprocrites ;  I  know  not 
the  heart  of  man, 

15* 


174 

Mr.  Salt  has  told  me  of  the  most  excellent  method 
whicli  the  Jesuit  Peyse  adopted  on  his  arrival  in  Abys- 
sinia for  the  conversion  oi  the  people  and  the  king.  Mr. 
Peyse  instructed  little  boys  in  iending  and  writing,  and 
when  he  was  called  before  the  king,  Mr.  Peyse  mtroduc- 
ed  the  boys,  his  disciples,  to  his  majesty,  and  told  him, 
Examine  the  boys,  wlietlier  they  are  not  more  inform- 
ed than  your  priests  ;  and  in  this  way  the  king  was  con- 
verted to  the  truth. 

Don  Raphael  de  Monacis  has  procured  me  letters  of 
introduction  from  the  patriarch  of  mount  Lebanon,  for 
the  Greek  convent  Dir  Muhallas.  I  shall  try,  as  Mr. 
Salt  advises,  to  procure  manuscripts  containing  the  his- 
tory of  the  crusades,  which  I  intend  to  send  to  Mr.  Salt. 
We  talked  last  night  about  Cicero.  Mr.  Salt  made  an 
observation  which  rejoiced  my  heart,  namely,  that  all  the 
ancient  philosophers  were  in  darkness  about  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.  That  docirine  was  clearly  revealed  by 
God  through  the  mouth  of  the  prophets  and  the  Son  of 
God.  Hear  how  the  Lord  alluded  to  it  by  Moses  : — 
Deut.  xxxii.  "  I  kill,  and  make  alive !"  And  Hannah 
rejoiced  in  the  Lord,  and  said,  •'  He  bringeth  down  to 
the  grave,  and  bringeth  up."  1  Sam.  ii.  6,  and  Hosea 
vi.  2.  "  After  two  days  will  he  revive  us,  in  the  third 
day  he  will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in  his  sight." 
And  hear  what  Job  said.  "  For  I  know  that  my  Redeem- 
er liveth,  and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon 
the  earth  :  and  though  after  my  skin  worms  destroy  this 
body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  1  see  God  ;  whom  I  shall  see 
for  myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another; 
though  my  reigns  be  consumed  within  me."  (Job.  xix. 
2d.)  Hear  what  Ezekiel  s..id,  (oiiap.  xxxvii.  5.)  "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God  unto  there  bones  :  Behold,  1  will 
cause  breath  to  enter  into  yon,  and  ye  shall  iu'e  ;  and  I 
will  lay  sinews  upon  you,  and  will  bring  up  flesh  upon 
you,  and  cover  you  with  skin,  and  put  breath  in  you, 
and  shall  live  :  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  !" 
(Daniel  xii.  2.)  ''  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the 
dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life, 
and  some  to  shame  and  to  everlasting  contempt :  and 


175 

they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the 
firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness, 
as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever."  Psalmist :  "  O  though 
that  hearest  prayer,  unto  thee  shall  all  flesh  come." 
"  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead  body 
shall  they  arise.  Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  the 
dust ;  for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and  the  earth 
shall  cast  out  the  dead."     (Isaiah  xxvi.  19.) 

Jjec.  8. — Mr.  Fieri  and  Jochan  Kissowitz,  both  Ger- 
mans, and  employed  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Walmas,  called 
on  me  this  morning.  They  are  two  very  kind  gentle- 
men, especially  Mr.  Fieri.  I  conversed  with  them  on 
the  comfort  and  peace  Christianity  affords  to  us,  and  ap- 
pealed to  the  words  of  the  greatest  philosopher  of  Ger- 
many, the  great  historian  John  Muller,  who  said,  'True 
philosophy  does  not  consist  in  disbelief,  or  in  destroying 
or  ridiculing  the  belief  and  saying  of  our  ancestors,  but 
rather  in  finding  out  stronger  arguments  for  believing 
and  maintaining  that  truth,  winch  has  been  believed, 
through  ages  by  our  ancestors,  and  to  believe  it  more 
clearly,  more  warmly,  and  more  practically.'  Mr.  Fieri 
will  do  all  that  is  in  his  power  for  the  promotion  of 
Scriptural  truth. 

Dec.  9. — Called  on   Mr.  Champion,   conversed  with 
him  about  the  Papal  system. 

Mr.  Salt  entered  the  room,  and  seconded  my  desire 
to  establish  a  Bible  Society  at  Cairo,  with  his  warm  re- 
commendation of  my  plan.  There  is  no  doubt  that  Mr. 
Salt's  conduct  towards  Mr.  English,  has  much  contri- 
buted to  his  turning  to  Christianity  He  treated  him 
with  love  and  kindness  ;  and  I  must  say,  witliout  flat- 
tery, that  I  have  scarcely  seen  practical  Christianity  in 
more  vigour  than  witli  Mr.  Salt.  He  has  drawn  out  of 
the  Mahoinedan  world  thf.  Scotch  Osman  ;  and  at  pre- 
sent, an  American  gentleman,  who  turned  Musselman 
through  despair,  is  in  his  house,  and  tlius  he  was  en- 
abled to  hear  the  word  of  God  b}^  me  ;  and  I  sometimes 
pray  with  this  poor  American.  Mr.  English  (Mahomed 
Efiendi)  told  me  himseif,  that  his  prejudice  as  an  Ame- 
rican against  the  English   nation,  was  taken  away  by 


176 

the  acquaintance  lie  formed  with  Mr.  Salt  and  Mr.  Lee, 
for  he  saw  in  those  two  gentlemen,  English  gentlemen 
of  the  old  school. 

My  German  countrymen,  Fieri,  Ernst,  Weiner,  and 
Kissowitz,  have  displayed  much  affection  towards  me. 
Mr.  Fieri  has  promised  me  to  become  not  merely  a  sub- 
scriber, but  to  try  to  promote  the  cause  of  the  Bible 
Society.  Mr.  Kissowitz  himself  will  subscribe,  and  has 
given  me  a  hst  of  names  of  the  most  respectable  Jews  at 
Irieste.  Ernst  Weiner,  a  German  merchant  from  Gor- 
liz,  he  offered  me  his  house,  if  I  should  go  to  Gorliz  to 
labour  among  my  brethren  in  that  part.  He  desired  to 
purchase  a  German  Bible. 

Henry  Salt,  Esq.  has  told  me,  that  T  had  better  agree 
with  the  Shech  of  the  caravan,  in  order  that  he  may 
take  care  of  my  tilings  at  night.  Thou,  O  Lord,  I  be- 
seech thee,  be  my  companion  on  my  way  to  Jarusalem  ! 
I  shall  try  to  give  lessons  in  the  German  and  Hebrew 
tongues,  to  the  Jewish  boys  at  Jerusalem,  as  soon  as  I 
shall  arrive  there. 

Mr.  Salt  told  me  this  evening  that  I  might  return  *o 
Cairo,  in  case  I  should  not  be  able  to  do  any  thing  at 
Jerusalem. 

Dec.  10. — Mr.  Salt  gave  me  letters  of  introduction  to 
Mr.  Abbot. 

Dec.  U. — Mahomed  Vehbi  Effendi  called  on  me;  I 
observed  that  he  was  again  wavering.  I  spoke  strongly, 
but  at  the  same  time  with  the  affection  of  a  brother  to 
him,  and  besought  him  to  be  fervent  in  prayer.  He  is 
too  much  accustomed  to  cavil  about  words.  O  Lord,  I 
beseech  thee,  touch  his  soul  with  thy  Holy  Spirit,  in 
order  that  he  may  thoroughly  return  unto  thee. 

Consul  General  Salt  has  promised  me  to  take  all  pains 
to  establish  a  Bible  Society  at  Cairo. 

Dec.  12. —I  prepared  myselffor  departure.  Mr.  Salt, 
Mrs.  Salt,  and  the  Chancellor,  drank  my  health  very 
cordially,  and  wished  me  a  happy  voyage  to  Palestine. 
Mr.  Salt  in  the  evening  read  with  me  the  Church  His- 
tory of  Callistus. 

Dec,  13. — In  the  morning  at  eight  o'clock,  the  Shech 


177 

with  the  camels  arrived  at  the  gate  of  the  consulate.  Mr. 
Salt  ordered  his  dragoman  and  his  janissary  to  ac- 
company me  to  the  gates  of  the  town.  In  the  evening  1 
arrived  with  the  caravan  in  the  desert  near  Changa. 

Dec.  14 — I  pitched  my  tent  in  the  desert,  near  the 
village  Balbis.  The  Shech  of  that  place,  an  Arab  came 
in  the  desert  to  my  tent,  and  desired  to  see  my  passport; 
I  showed  him  the  firman  of  the  Pasha,  Mahomed  Ali: 
he  desired  a  Bakhshish  (present)  which  I  did  not  give 
him. 

Dec.  15. — I  pitched  my  tent  in  the  desert  place,  cal- 
led Abuna-shaba.  I  read  tlie  Evidences  of  Christiani- 
ty, written  by  Porteus,  Bishop  of  London,  the  Gospel 
of  St.  Jlfatthew,  and  the  prophet  Isaiah,  and  prayed  in 
the  company  of  my  servant. 

Dec.  16. — Pitched  my  tent  in  Abiisewir,  read  as 
above. 

Dec.  17. — Pitched  my  tent  in  the  desert  place,  called 
Abu-arak,  and  occupied  myself  as  usual. 

Dec.  18. — Pitched  my  tent  in  Abuna-magum  :  read 
Genesis  xiv. 

Dec.  1 9. — Pitched  my  tent  in  the  desert-place,  called 
Abumas-meira  :  read  as  usual. 

Dec.  20. — Pitched  my  tent  in  the  desert  of  Jenadil : 
occupied  myself  as  usual. 

Dec.  21. — Pitched  my  tent  in  Abajilbana,  where  we 
saw  the  sea,  called  Bahar  Almahl. 

Dec.  22. — We  pitched  our  tent  in  the  plain  of  the 
village  Arish,  where  there  are  an  old  castle,  and  some 
cannon.  They  asked  me  there  whether  the  English 
Sidtanis  allied  with  that  of  Islam,  I  said,  Yes;  Hanid 
Leiah  was  the  answer. 

Dec.  23. — We  remained  at  Arish,  and  bought  pro- 
visions for  our  journey. 

Dec.  24. — We  pitched  our  tent  in  the  plain  of  Saaka, 
near  the  village  called  Shech  Alsaid,  which  is  the  last 
spot  belonging  to  »/Tiahomed  Ali. 

Dec.  25. — Arrived  in  the  land  of  the  ancient  Philis- 
tines, where  I  pitched  my  tent  in  the  plain  of  Chan  Yu- 
nas,  belonging  to  the  Pasha  of  Acre;  there  are  many 


178 

robbers,  as  well  as  Arabs,  and  my  servant  was  awake 
the  whole  night.  The  country  there  appears  very  much 
cultivated,  which  delights  and  revives  a  pilgrim,  who 
has  travelled  thirteen  days  through  a  dry  and  sandy  de- 
sertj  and  upon  heavy  camels. 

Dec.  26. — Arrived  at  Gaza.  There  came  Samson, 
and  it  was  told  the  Gazites,  saying,  Samson  is  come 
hither,  and  they  compassed  him  in,  and  laid  wait  for 
him  all  night,  saying  :  In  the  morning,  when  it  is  day, 
we  shall  kill  him  :  and  Samson  lay  till  midnight,  and 
arose  at  midnight,  and  took  the  doors  of  the  gate  of  the 
city,  and  the  two  posts,  and  went  away  with  them,  bar 
and  all,  and  put  them  upon  his  shoulders,  and  carried 
them  up  to  the  top  of  a  hill  that  is  before  Hebron. 

It  is  now  a  little  town  inhabited  by  Mussulmen,  and 
100  Greek  Christians,  who  have  a  very  old  church, 
which,  by  the  account  of  the  Greek  priest  on  whom  I 
called,  was  built  in  the  time  of  Constantine  the  Great. 
They  are  in  possession  of  an  old  Arabic  manuscript  of 
the  Gospel,  which  is  kept  sacred  in  the  church.  I  ask- 
ed them  whether  they  would  sell  it  to  me,  the  priest  re- 
plied, it  would  be  an  Haram  Allah  to  sell  any 
thing  belonging  to  the  church.  All  the  Greeks 
throughout  the  East,  are  now  in  anxious  expectation  of 
the  success  of  their  brethren,  fighting  against  their 
oppressors.  Those  at  Gaza  wept,  and  expected  to  hear 
from  me  good  tidings,  news  of  victory,  on  which  1 
pointed  them  to  the  Lord,  from  whence  their  help  will 
come.  The  chamack  of  the  Grand  Pasha  of  Acre,  at 
the  custom-house  of  Gaza,  was  very  kind  to  me  ;  he  in- 
vited me  to  drink  cofiee  with  him,  and  procured  me  a 
room  in  the  Han,  which  was  not  very  handsome  :  he  sent 
me  some  of  his  dates,  and  candles,  and  all  this  he  did 
without  reward,  but  I  gave  him  before  my  departure,  a 
present  of  three  dollars.  He  was  once  in  the  service  of 
the  famous  Djezzar,  Pasha  at  Acre,  and  he  knew  Dr. 
Clarke  the  traveller,  and  Mr.  Smith,  and  he  is  the  friend 
of  Lady  Esther  Stanhope. 

Dec.  27,  we  left  Gaza,  and  Dec.  28,  arrived  in  the 
best  health,  with  my  old  servant,  at  Jaffa,  where  I  was 


179 

most  kindly  received  by  the  English  consul,  Mr.  Anto- 
nio Damiani,  whose  fatiier  was  eighty  years  British 
consul  at  Jaffa,  and  reached  the  age  of  123  years.  After 
his  death,  his  son  came  in  his  pUce.  I  cannot  describe 
the  cordiality  with  which  he  and  his  son,  Joseph  Dami- 
ani, received  me  ;  he  gave  me  a  very  comfortable  room 
m  his  house,  introduced  me  to  the  lady  of  the  Russian 
consul,  whose  husband  has  left  Jaffa  for  Petersburg. 
Joseph  Damiani  introduced  me  to  Padre  Dominick,  the 
►Spanish  priest,  to  whom  Mr.  Ben  Oliel  had  given  me  a 
letter  of  introduction  ;  he  received  me  very  kindly,  and 
called  on  me  again,  and  brought  me  letters  of  intro- 
duction for  Acre  and  Jerusalem.  1  shall  go  from  hence 
first  to  Acre,  to  see  Mr.  Abbot,  the  British  consul, 
whom  I  mentioned  to  you  in  my  letters  from  Malta,  and 
for  whom  1  have  letters  from  Mr.  Salt;  and  as  I  receiv- 
ed just  before  my  departure  from  Cairo,  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Lee,  from  Alexandria,  saying  that  the  Consul  Gen- 
eral at  Constantinople  will  send  me  the  firman  of  the 
Grand  Seignior  by  the  first  opportunity,  1  siiall  wait  at 
Acre  till  the  firmau  arrives,  and  then  I  will  enter,  if  the 
Lord  pleaseth,  the  holy  city  of  Jerusalem. 

Dec,  29. — Mr.  Joseph  Damiani  introduced  me  to-day 
to  Israel,  from  Naplus,  (Sichem,)  Scrivano  to  a  Tur- 
kish merchant  at  Jaffa.  He  is  one  of  the  few  descend- 
ants of  the  Samaritans  residing  at  Naplus.  He  receiv- 
ed me  with  great  cordiality  ;  1  addressed  myself  to  him 
in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  he  v^  as  only  able  to  understand 
the  expression  Lasan  hakodesh,  (the  holy  language.) 
I  asked  him  whether  he  spoke  the  holy  language  (the 
Hebrew);  he  showed  me  three  Samaritan  manuscripts, 
the  first  contained  the  fourth  part  of  the  books  of  Mo- 
ses, the  second,  a  book  called  Mimar,  old  sermons  of 
their  priests,  which  he  affirmed  were  above  1600  years 
old,  and  the  third  manuscript  contained  a  catechism  for 
the  Samaritan  youth,  which  consisted  ofiheTen  Com- 
mandments of  Moses;  all  these  manuscripts  were  writ- 
ten in  the  Samaritan  language,  which  1  was  not  able  to 
read.  Israel  is  of  an  amiable  countenance ;  another 
Samaritan  was  there  also. 


180 

/.  Do  you  sell  these  books  ? 

Israel.  No  Samaritan  will  ever  sell  his  books. 

/.  Are  you  in  the  possession  of  the  Prophets  and  the 
Psalms  of  David  ? 

Israel.  We  do  not  acknowledge  any  other  prophet 
beside  Moses;  we  do  neither  acknowledge  Isaiah,  nor 
Jeremiah,  nor  Ezekiel,  nor  the  Psalms  of  David  ;  no- 
thing, nothing,  nothing  but  the  books  of  AJoses:  we 
also  despise  the  Talmud  and  the  Mishna.  There  is 
much  to  be  fuund  in  the  books  of  Moses,  not  every  one 
is  able  to  understand  them,  or  enter  into  the  depth  of 
them. 

/.  Why  do  you  not  believe  in  the  Prophets  ? 

Israel.  Ye  shall  not  add  unto  the  word  which  I  com- 
mand you,  neither  shall  ye  diminish  ought  from  it,  that 
ye  may  keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  your  God, 
which  I  command  you. 

/.  What  do  yru  think  about  Messiah,  whether  he  is 
already  come,  or  shall  come? 

Israel.  He  shall  surely  come,  and  his  coming  will  be 
glorious,  a  fiery  column  shall  descend  from  heaven,  and 
we  shall  see  signs  and  wonders  before  his  coming.  Be- 
lieve me,  my  lord,  I  am  young,  but  I  have  studied  the 
book  of  Moses  diligently.. 

/.  Who  shall  be^he  Messiah.? 

Israel.  There  shall  be  two;  the  first  (but  not  the 
chief  one)  shall  be  Joshua,  the  son  of  JNun,  the  disciple 
of  Moses  :  the  other  of  the  tribe  of  Joseph. 

/.  Have  you  any  communication  with  the  Jews  .? 

Israel.  No;  an  enmity  from  the  time  of  Joseph,  the 
son  of  Jacob,  whose  descendants  we  are,  exists  be- 
tween us. 

/.  What  was  the  cause  of  your  first  enmity.'' 

Israel.  Joseph  was  a  good  child,  and  beautiful,  and 
beloved  of  his  father  ;  his  brethren,  Simeon  and  Levi, 
hated  him  ;  and  when  his  fiither  sent  Joseph  into  the 
field,  an  angel  appeared  to  him  and  said,  "  Thy  bre- 
thren are  in  Dodaim  :"  he  went  to  them,  they  saw  him, 
and  tried  to  kill  him;  but  Judah,  who  had  much  au- 
thority among  his  brethren,  persuaded  them  to  sell  him 


181 

to  a  caravan  of  merchants,  and  thus  came  Joseph  into 
Egypt;  there  lie  became  tllefir^t  after  Pharaoh,  and  there 
he  begat  Manasseh  and  Ephraim,  and  we  are  his  de- 
scendants. Joseph,  our  father,  has  pardoned  tliem  their 
offence,  but  we  his  children,  can  never  forget  that  Jo- 
seph, our  father,  was  so  harshly  treated  by  his  brethren. 
And  from  that  time  is  the  division,  till  we  finally  sepa- 
rated from  them,  and  worshipped  no  longer  at  Jerusa- 
lem, but  upon  Gcrizim. 

/.  ^Vill  you  give  me  letters  for  your  brethren  atNap- 
lus  f  I  love  you,  and  will  enquire  into  your  state,  and 
many  of  my  friends  in  England  will  be  rejoiced  to  hear 
more  about  you. 

hrael.  With  the  greatest  pleasure  will  \  give  you  let- 
ters. We  know  that  when  nations  from  afar  shall  come 
to  enquire  into  our  state,  the  time  will  not  be  far  off,  the 
time  of  the  redemption,  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the 
3Iessiah  Tell  me,  my  lord,  are  not  some  of  our  bre- 
thren in  England  ^ 

I.   I  do  not  know. 

Israel.  We  have  heard  that  some  of  our  brethren  live 
in  the  desert  of  Moscovia. 

/.  I  would  advise  you  to  enter  into  a  correspondence 
with  my  friends  in  England  about  your  nation  :  1  will 
forward  the  letters. 

Israel.  I  will  give  you  letters  for  all  my  brethren  ; 
you  may  live  with  them,  and  they  shall  love  your  lord- 
ship. 

I.  I  love  you  very  much,  my  brother. 

Israel.  What  is  your  name,  my  lord  ? 

I.  Joseph  Wolf. 

Israel.  Joseph  ?  Joseph  ?  Joseph  ?  and  repeating  my 
name,  he  looked  continually  in  my  face,  and  said.  Yes, 
I  will  give  you  letters  ;  you  will  not  find  many  Samari- 
tans, but  the  Lord  does  not  consider  the  number,  he 
considers  those  who  love  him,  and  keep  his  command- 
ments. God  blessed  Ishmael,  and  made  him  fruitful, 
and  multiplied  him  exceedingly,  and  he  begat  twelve 
princes,  and  made  him  a  great  nation  ;  but  he  established 
with  Jsaac  his  convent,  and  the  Lord  drove  Hagar  out 

16 


182 

of  the  house  of  Abraham.  He  gave  Isaac  to  eat  of  the 
manna  which  was  endowed  with  the  tastes  of  the  best 
fruits  of  several  kinds. 

/.  We  do  not  find  the  latter  observation  in  the  book 
of  Moses. 

Israel.  I  have  told  you  from  the  beginning,  that  the 
book  of  Moses  contains  many  hidden  things,  but  not 
every  one  enters  into  the  depth  of  them. 

I  have  observed  that  the  Samaritans,  notwithstanding 
their  rejection  of  the  Talmud,  have  adopted  notions  from 
that  book  ;  as,  for  instance,  that  an  angel  appeared  to 
Joseph,  and  of  the  several  tastes  the  manna  was  endow- 
ed with  ;  fables  taken  out  of  rabbinical  books.  Or, 
perhaps,  the  Rahbies  have  taken  those  notions  from  the 
Samaritans.     1  continued  to  ask  him, 

/.  Have  you  still  sacrifices  ? 

Israel  (with  a  joyful  covntenance.)  Yes,  we  sacrifice 
once  every  year  an  animal,  on  the  feast  of  Passover, 
and  we  have  a  high-priest  from  the  family  of  Aaron. 

Poor  Samaritans,  no  fire  comes  down  from  heaven  to 
receive  jour  sacrifice,  it  is  no  longer  a  sweet-smelling 
Savour  unto  the  Lord.  Come  to  that  High-Priest  after 
the  order  of  Melchisedek,  who  in  the  days  of  his  flesh, 
offered  up  prayers  and  supplications  with  strong  crying 
and  tears,  unto  him  that  was  able  to  save  him  from 
death,  and  was  heard  in  that  he  feared.  Poor  Samari- 
tans, 1  shall  have  many  things  to  say  of  him  to  you,  on 
my  arrival  at  Naplus.  Dear  Samaritan  brethren  !  turn 
your  eyes  to  that  High-Priest,  who  is  holy,  harmless, 
undefiled,  and  separate  from  sinners,  and  made  higher 
than  the  heavens,  who  did  once  offer  up  a  sacrifice  for 
the  people's  sins,  when  he  offered  up  himself. 

Israel  (continued.)  I  still  could  tell  you  more  of  the 
mount  Gerizim,  which  was  blessed,  and  mount  Ebal, 
which  was  cursed,  but  you  will  be  well  informed  at  Na- 
plus ;  but  I  must  ask  thee  a  question,  my  lord. — We  re- 
ceived, some  years  ago,  a  letter  by  the  way  of  Aleppo, 
which  was  w  ritten  in  France,  by  two  gentlemen  ;  the 
name  of  the  one  was  Gragier,  but  I  have  forgotten  the 
yuame  of  the  other. 


183 

/.  What  did  they  write  to  you  ? 

Israel.  They  asked  us  deep  questions,  and  among 
others,  they  asked  us  the  reason  of  our  having  given  up 
the  trial  to  seek  every  year  for  such  and  such  an  ox  ? 
Dost  thou  know,  my  lord,  whether  Gragier,  and  the 
other  whose  name  1  do  not  remember,  reside  in  a  city 
called  Paris? 

/.  Gragier  is,  most  probably.  Monsieur  Gregoire,  and 
the  other,  perhaps,  Sylvestre  cle  Sacy.  I  could  not  un- 
derstand the  description  of  the  ox,  nor  was  JVIr.  Joseph 
Damiana,  who  interpreted,  as  often  as  I  wanted  a  word, 
able  to  explain  to  me  the  meaning  of  it.  I  hope  to  en- 
quire at  Naplus ;  for  that  kind  Samaritan  gives  me  let- 
ters for  Naplus,  so  that  I  shall  have  a  lodging  in  the 
house  of  a  Samaritan  Jew. 

On  my  return  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Damiani,  Assaid 
Ahya  Ellendi,  formerly  commander  of  the  castle  of  Jaf- 
fa, and  now  residing  at  Jerusalem,  a  Mussulman,  enter* 
ed  the  rooin  of  the  Consul.  As  1  had  with  nTe  the  Ara- 
bic New  Testament  translated  by  Sabat,  I  showed  it  to 
him,  and  desired  him  to  read  something  in  it,  ajxd  tell 
Diie  his  observations  about  it.  He  read  attentively  the 
genealogy  of  Matthew,  and  he  exclaimed  suddenly,  '  I 
observe  a  great  error  !' 

/.  Be  so  kind  as  to  show  me  the  error. 

He  showed  me  Matt.  i.  24,  and  said,  "  And  took  unto 
him  his  wife  :"  this  is  not  true,  for  Jesus  was  not  the  son 
of  Joseph  the  Nabi  (prophet.) 

The  following  verse  answers  your  difficulty,  "  And  he 
knew  her  not,  till  she  had  brought  forth,  &£c." 

Assaid  Ahya  Effendl.  Then  the  word  wife^  is  not 
well  chosen,  he  ought  to  have  said  bride.  The  second 
error  he  found  was,  that  Matthew  ought  not  to  have 
said,  Joseph  was  a  just  man  ;  but  that  he  was  a  ^"061, 
(prophet.) 

He  gave  me  a  letter  of  introduction  to  a  learned  Mus- 
sulman at  Jerusalem,  whose  name  is  Said  Effendi,  who 
will  give  me  lessons  in  Arabic. 

Dec,  30. — Israel,  the  Samaritan,  called  on  me  again, 
and  gave  me  a  letter  of  introduction   to  his  relatives  at 


184 

Naplus,  the  ancient  Sichem.  I  asked  whether  they  had 
the  book  of  Joshua;  he  told  me  that  they  are  only  in 
possession  of  the  history  of  Joshua,  but  the  book  itself 
is  lost.  I  asked  further,  what  do  you  think  about  the 
character  of  those  men,  whom  Jews  and  Christians  con- 
sider as  prophets  ? 

Israel.  Those  persons  have  been  the  cause  that 
the  schism  among  the  Jews  has  become  stronger  and 
stronger,  and  the  enmity  from  the  times  of  Joseph  estab- 
lished for  ever.  Ali,  an  old  man,  called  by  the  Jews 
Elijah,  came  to  the  king  of  Samaria,  who  was  a  young 
man,  and  he  (Ali)  thought  himself  not  sufficiently  hon- 
oured by  the  young  king,  and  therefore  went  about  and 
exasperated  the  minds  of  the  people  against  their  king. — 
Certainly  that  was  not  the  reason  Elijah  grieved,  but 
rather  that  Ahaziah  enquired  of  Beelzebub,  as  if  there 
was  not  a  God  in  Israel. 

After  the  conversation  with  him,  I  mounted  the  ass, 
and  left  J  alia,  the  ancient  Joppa,  where  Cornelius  the 
centurion,  whose  prayers  and  alms  were  come  up  for  a 
memorial  before  God,  sent  two  of  his  household  ser- 
vants and  a  devout  soldier  to  Peter,  who  went  upon  the 
house-top  to  pray,  about  the  sixth  hour,  and  having 
fallen  into  a  trance,  he  saw  heaven  opened,  and  was 
taught  that,  what  God  had  cleansed  cannot  be  called 
common  ;  and  he  went  from  thence  to  Cornelius  at  Ce- 
sarea,  who  desired  to  hear  worda  of  him,  to  hear  all 
things  that  had  been  commanded  unto  Peter  of  God  ; 
and  there  it  was,  that  Peter  perceived  that  God  is  no 
respecter  of  persons,  but  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth 
him,  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with  him. 
(Acts  X.) 

After  three  hours'  journey,  I  came  out  of  the  land  of 
the  Philistines,  who  often  troubled  my  brethren. 

Toma,  a  Christian,  from  Jaffa,  met  with  us  on  the  way, 
as  we  were  entering  the  spot  called  (ialilee.  He  was 
well  versed  in  the  holy  history.  I  told  him  that  he 
should  go  with  me  to  Acre,  to  tell  me  the  names  of  the 
places.  I  was  now  entering  into  the  land  of  promise, 
that  land  where   my  Saviour  walked  in  bodily  shape. 


185 

where  he  did  signs  and  wonders.  In  short,  I  arrived  at 
the  haven  of  the  sea,  where  Zebidon  dwelt,  and  Naph- 
tali,  a  hind  let  loose,  which  the  Lord  first  lightly  afflicted, 
and  afterwards  more  grievously  afflicted  by  the  way  ot 
the  sea,  beyond  Jordon,  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles.  And 
the  people  which  sat  in  darkness,  saw  great  light; 
and  to  them  which  sat  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death, 
light  sprung  up,  The  Light,  Jesus,  the  Lord  of  all,  the 
incarnate  Deity  !  From  thence,  I  came  to  the  ruins  of 
Cesarea  Philippi,  the  ruins  of  a  church  where  owls 
dwell.  There  lived  Cornellins,  whose  prayers  and  aims 
came  up  as  a  memorial  before  God.   (Acts  x.  4.) 

Jaiu  1,  1822. — We  passed  mount  Carmel.  Here 
Baal's  propiiels  cried  aloud,  and  cut  themselves  after 
their  manner,  witli  lances,  till  the  blood  gushed  out,  and 
when  midday  was  past,  and  they  prophesied  until  the 
time  of  the  offering  of  the  evening  sacrifice,  there  was 
neither  voice,  nor  any  to  answer,  nor  any  tliat  regarded. 
And  Elijah  repaired  the  altar  of  the  Lord  that  was 
broken  down  ;  and  said  unto  all  the  people,  come  near 
unto  me,  and  all  the  people  came  near  unto  him. 
And  Elijah  took  twelve  stones,  according  to  the 
number  of  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  unto  whom  the 
word  of  the  Lord  came,  saying,  Israel  shall  be  thy 
name;  and  at  the  time  of  the  oifering  of  the  evening' 
sacrifice,  Elijali  t\ie  prophet  came  near,  and  said,  Lord 
God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  of  Israel,  let  it  be  known 
this  day,  that  thou  art  God  in  Israel,  and  that  i  am  thy 
servant,  and  that  I  fiavedone  all  these  things  at  thy  word. 
Hear  me,  O  Lord,  hear  me  !  that  these  people  may 
know  that  thou  art  the  Lord  God,  and  that  thou  hast 
turned  their  heart  back  again.  Then  the  fire  of  the 
Lord  fell,  and  consumed  the  burnt-sacrifice,  and  the 
wood,  and  the  stones,  and  the  dust,  and  licked  up  the 
water  that  was  in  the  trench.  And  when  all  the  people 
saw  it,  they  fell  on  their  faces,  and  they  said.  The  Lord 
he  is  God,  the  Lord  he  is  God.    1  Kings  xviii. 

1  arrived,  finally,  at  St.  Jean  d  Acre,  and  was  very 
well  received  by  Peter  Abbott,  Esq.  British  Consul  of 
this  place.     He  gave  me  an  account  of  two  Jewish  con- 

16* 


186 

verts;  the  name  of  the  one  is  E.,  ^  tapet  maker,  and 
cantor  of  the  synagogue,  and  tiie  name  of  the  other  is  A.  ; 
they  have  been  secretly  baptised,  and  continue  outward- 
ly to  be  Jews,  and  to  go  to  the  synagogue. 

Peter  Abbot,  Esq  introduced  me  to  the  Rev.  Jacob 
Berggren,  clergyman  of  the  Swedish  ambassador  at 
Constantinople.  I  knew  him  at  Alexandria.  That 
gentleman,  a  true  believer  of  Christ,  travelled  at  the  ex- 
pence  of  the  Swedish  government,  through  the  whole  of 
Palestine  and  Syria.  He  found  upon  mount  Lebanon, 
the  book  of  the  law  of  the  Druses,  and  he  discovered 
likewise,  a  fine  pit  of  coals,  and  a  rock  which  contained 
beautiful  diamonds.  He  is  now  going  back  to  Constan- 
tinople, and  a  year  hence  he  is  to  continue  his  journey 
to  Persia  at  the  expence  of  the  king  of  Sweden.  We 
prayed  together,  and  if  the  Lord  pleaseth,  we  shall  cor- 
respond with  each  other. 

Jan.  2. — E.,  baptized  by  the  Rev.  Melchior  Tschudy, 
called  on  me  to-day,  and  was  introduced  to  me  by  Mr. 
Abbott.  I  had  a  long  conversation  with  him,  and  there 
is  no  doubt  of  his  sincerity;  although  poor,  he  never 
desired  a  farthing  of  Mr.  Abbott,  and  he  has  read  the 
New  Testament  so  thoroughh%  that  he  knows  much  of 
it  by  heart ;  he  was  already  made  acquainted  with 
Christianity  by  an  Armenian  priest,  and  the  Rev. 
M.  Tschudy  gave  him  a  New  Testament,  and  he  per- 
suaded his  wife  of  the  truth,  and  both  have  been  bapti- 
zed by  the  Rev.  M.  Tschudy,  in  secret,  for  they  do  not 
dare  to  profess  Christianity  publicly,  on  account  of  the 
Jews,  who  would  persecute  them.  The  husband  told  me 
his  wife  died  soon  after,  a  zealous  Christian.  He  has 
read  the  book  of  the  Revelation  of  St.  John  particular!}', 
and  he  calculates  that  Bonaparte  is  mentioned  in  the 
xiiith  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse.  1  told  him  he  should 
travel  about  with  me  and  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ ; 
but  he  does  not  like  to  leave  his  family.  1  reminded 
him,  that  in  his  way,  he  is  a  hypocrite,  and  that  he 
should  remember  the  words  of  Christ.  He  interrupted 
me,  and  said,  I  know  what  our  Lord  says,  "Whosoever, 
therefore,  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also 
confess  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven  ;  but  who- 


187 

soever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny 
before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven  :"  but  continued 
E.,  1  cannot  yet.  1  believe  in  Christ ;  but  I  fear  that 
the  Jews  will  kill  me.  He  has  begun  to  translate  some 
tracts  of  the  London  Society  into  the  Arabic  tongue, 
with  Hebrew  characters,  and  very  well  indeed. 

I  am  now  proceeding  on  my  journey  to  the  mouut 
Lebanon,  that  I  may  practise  myself  in  the  Arabic 
tongue  ;  and  next  Easter-day,  if  the  Lord  pleaseth,  I 
shall  enter  Jerusalem. 

The  son  of  the  British  Consul  at  Jaffa,  Mr.  Joseph 
Damiani,  will  accompany  me  to  Jerusalem,  and  intro- 
duce me  to  the  principal  Jews  of  that  place. 

Jan.  3. — Peter  Abbott,  Esq.,  had  the  kindness  to  in- 
troduce me  to  an  EngHsh  Jew,  with  whom  1  had  a  sliort 
conversation  about  the  Gospel.  That  Jew  is  to  intro- 
duce me  to  their  synagogue.  My  mind  is  quite  relie- 
ved since  I  am  again  with  English  gentlemen  ;  Peter 
Abbott,  Esq.  and  Mr.  M'Michael,  Mr.  Abbott  promis- 
ed me  that  he  will  kindly  take  an  interest  as  well  in  the 
cause  of  the  Bible  as  Missionary  Society.  Sent  letters 
to  Dr.  Naudi,  Mr.  Lee,  and  Henry  Drummond,  by  my 
friend  Jacob  Berggren. 

Ja;i.  4.  —  "  Moreover,  he  refused  the  tabernacle  of 
Joseph,  and  chose  not  tlie  tribe  of  Ephraim  ;  but  chose 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Mount  Zion  vvhicli  he  loved." 
Psalm  Ixxviii.  67,  68.  This  very  exclamation  of  the 
royal  prophet  may  have  been  the  reason,  that  the  pro- 
phetical song  of  his  harp  did  not  sound  well  in  the  ears 
of  the  Samaritans,  and  that  his  oracles,  inspired  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  have  not  been  accepted,  but  rather  rejected 
by  them. 

I  took  in  view  this  morning  the  seraglio  of  the  Pasha 
Abdallah,  at  Acre.  It  is  a  little,  nice  buildmg.  Mi'. 
M'xMichael  accompanied  me.  The  building  is  not  to  be 
compared  with  any  house  of  a  rich  private  gentlemen 
in  England.  We  requested,  by  means  of  Mr.  Abbott's 
dragoman  a  bugrat  for  our  journey  to  the  Mount  Le- 
banon. The  clerks  of  the  government  ollice  are  almost 
all  Christians  of  this  country.     We  met  there  with  one 


188 

of  the  innumerable  children  of  Djezzar  ;  that  is  to  sa\', 
vvitii  one  of  those  whose  nose  has  been  cut  off  by 
Djezzar's  order  !  We  afterwards  took  in  view  the  spot 
where  Bonaparte  encamped  with  his  army  :  it  is  near 
the  sea,  opposite  the  Mount  Carmel.  *'  There  was  Na- 
bal,  who  was  cliurlish  and  evil  in  his  doings,  he  would 
not  know  who  David,  and  who  the  son  of  Jesse  was." 
1  Samuel  xxv. 

Jan.  5. — 1  have  seen  an  instance  which  convinces  me, 
that  the  profession  of  religion  may  bring  us  astray  from 
the  way  of  the  L^rd,  if  we  do  not  take  humility  for  our 
basis  ;  if  we  do  not  earnestly  pray  to  him,  the  Giver  of 
all  good  things,  to  pour  out  upon  us  his  Holy  Spirit,  so 
that  the  solemn  acknowledgment  of  the  truth  may  make 
us  humble  minded,  and  bring  fortl)  in  us  fruits  of  right- 
eousness and  peace,  and  make  us  of  another  character, 
^nd  another  disposition  of  mind. 

Jacob  J\leir,  from  Arbon,  in  Switzerland,  a  merchat 
by  profession,  lived  a  dissolute  life  for  many  yeais. 
When  Baroness  Krudener,  arrived  at  Arbon,  Mr.  Meir 
attended  to  her  sermons,  and  became  convinced  that  he 
was  wrong  :  he  left  all  behind,  and  followed  Baroness 
Krudener  wherever  she  went.  Baron  Berekheim,  and 
the  whole  family  of  Baroness  Krudener,  received  him  as 
their  brother  in  Christ;  they  Joined  hands  with  him, 
called  him  brother,  and  so  forth.  Jacob  Meir  became 
proud  that  Barons  and  Counts  should  call  him  brother; 
and,  as  he  thought  himself  religiously  minded,  he  ima- 
gined he  had  no  occasion  to  follow  the  rules  of  society, 
and  spoke  against  dignities  and  magistrates  when  he 
thought  they  acted  wrong.  I  do  not  doubt  the  sincerity 
of  Baroness  Krudener,  or  of  Baron  Berekheim  ;  but  we 
may,  and  we  must  always  nfaintain  a  certain  dignity, 
and  keep  up  that  rank  in  which  Providence  has  placed 
us.  In  heaven  itself,  "  in  our  Father's  house  are  many 
mansions,"  prepared  by  Christ  himself  for  his  saints. 
There  are,  first  of  all,  twelve  thrones,  upon  which  the 
aposdes  sit  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 

Meir,  from  Arbon,  after  some  time,  left  the  house  of 
Baroness  Krudener,    running  about  in  the  world,  and 


189 

boasting  of  the  friendship  he  enjoyed  with  Counts,  and 
Barons,  and  Generals.  Tlie  poor  fellow  came  to  Acri 
in  a  distressed  state,  without  money  and  without  clothes. 
I  talked  with  him,  and  tried  to  persuade  him  that  he 
should  ^o  back  to  his  own  native  country,  into  the  arms 
of  his  family,  and  that  there  he  should  both  hope  and 
quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of  the  Lord,  and  rest  in  the 
Lord,  and  wait  patiently  for  him.  Mr.  Abbot,  the  Brit- 
ish Consul,  kindly  assisted  him  in  returning  to  his  na- 
tive country. 

Mr.  Abbott  introduced  me  to  the  respectable  Jew, 
Mr.  Amzalack,  from  Gibraltar,  residing  at  St.  Jean 
d'Acre.  Several  Jews  were  present,  and  among  them 
one  of  the  chief  rabbles  from  Safet.  1  talked  with  them 
in  Hebrew  and  x\rabic.  Mr.  Amzalack  presented  to 
me  a  Hebrew  Bible,  that  1  might  shew  the  rabbi  how 
well  I  understood  the  holy  language.  The  rabbi  of  Sa- 
fet told  me  he  should  be  very  glad  if  I  would  visit  him 
at  Safet.     They  asked  my  name,  which  I  told  them. 

Amzalack.  You  must  have  been  a  Jew. 

/.  I  consider  it  a  great  favour  to  be  a  child  of  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob. 

Amzalack.  I  love  every  one.  Moses  said,  "  And  thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself."  1  love  Christians, 
Jews,  and  Turks. 

/.  This  we  must  do ;  and  love  commands  us  to  set 
right  those  who  are  in  error. 

We  talked  after  this  about  other  things,  and  both  the 
rabbi  and  Mr.  Amzalack  desired  me  to  call  on  them  fre- 
quently. 

Mr.  Abbot,  and  Mr.  M'Michael  were  quite  delighted 
with  their  candour. 

Peter  Abbot,  Esq.  vvas  not  mistaken  respecting  the 
two  Jews  A.  and  E. ;  they  are  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
Christianity.  Their  lives  would  be  in  danger  among 
blgotted  Jews,  and  therefore  their  situation  does  not  al- 
low them  publicly  to  profess  him,  who  is  for  ever  bles- 
sed— him,  whose  light  sliineth  through  the  darkest  pla- 
ces— him,  over  whom  Satan  neither  shall  nor  can  ever 


190 

prevail — him,  who  by  seraphim   is    adored — Christ  Je- 
sus, God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever. 

A.  called  to-day  in  company  with  E. — St.  John  must 
have  had  a  countenance  like  that  man.  He  is  about 
twenty-two  years  of  age.  1  never  in  my  life  saw  a  more 
beautiful  countenance. 

/.  Do  you  love  the  Lord  Jesus  ? 
eAl.  Yes;  he  is  the  Lord  our  righteousness. 
/.   How  did  you  come  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ.'* 
A.  By  tlie  mercy  of  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  he,  and 
blessed  be  his  name. 

/.   By  what  instrumentality  ? 

A.  My  brother  E.  here  present,  was  long  ago  per- 
suaded ;  he  readthe  prophets  with  me,  and  on  the  arrival 
of  Melchior,  we  got  the  New  Testament  in  Hebrew  ;  we 
believed,  and  Melchior,  (which  is  Tschudy,)  baptized 
us.  After  this  1  married  a  Jewish  lady,  who  is  very 
bigotted,  and  I  fear  to  talk  with  her,  and  I  fear  likewise 
to  profess  Christ  before  our  brethren  the  Jews. 

i.  A.,  fear  not,  Christ  is  thy  shield  and  thy  reward. 
Though  an  host  encamp  against  thee,  thy  heart  shall 
not  fear. 

A.  You  strengthen  me,  but  still  1  fear.  I  will  pray 
to  Jesus  my  Lord  that  the  fear  may  pass  away. 

Friends,'this  is  the  genuine  discourse  with  that  dear 
brother.  E.  was  so  animated  with  the  answer  of  his 
disciple  A.,  that  he  gave  him  a  slap.     A.  smiled. 

1  shewed  them  the  prophecies  ofZachariah  and  Hag- 
gai.  That  prophecy  (said  A.)  we  have  never  noticed. 
1  shewed  them  tlie  prophecy  of  Isaiah  ix.  "  Unto  us  a 
child  is  born,"  &ic.  Neither  did  we  notice  this  prophe- 
cy (said  E.  and  A.)  We  were  convinced  by  Daniel  ix. 
Isaiah  liii.  Genesis  xlix.  10,  and  by  Jeremiah,  who  calls 
him,  "  The  Lord  our  Righteousness." 

I  finally  prevailed  on  them  to  go  with  me  to  Jerusa- 
lem ;  E.  may  go  with  me  immediately ;  but  as  A.  is 
married,  I  besought  him  to  give  me  permission  to  speak 
of  the  gospel  to  his  wife  He  promised  to  pave  the  way 
for  me.  They  would  be  exceedingly  useful  to  the  Jew- 
ish seminary  at  Stanstcd  Park.     They  read,  write,  and 


191 

speak  Hebrew  exceedingly  well ;  and  speak  Arabic  and 
],vrite  it  with  Hebrew  characters  as  other  Jews  do.  They 
have  already  begun  to  translate  some  tracts  into  the 
Arabic  language. 

Tlie  arrival  of  Mr.  Abbott  in  this  country  has.already 
produced  a  good  effect.  The  travellers  are  very  well 
protected  ;  he  has  procured  me  firmans  from  Abdalllia, 
the  Pasha  from  Acri,  witFi  which  1  may  safely  travel 
from  hence  througljout  Mount  Lebanon,  and  back  to 
Acri,  Safet,  Jaffa,  Nazareth,  and  Jerusalem.  They  call 
me  in  the  East  b}  the  name  of  Yussuf. 

Mr.  Abbott  took  so  much  interest  in  the  conversion  of 
the  two  Jews  above-mentioned,  that  he  even  catechized 
them,  and  enquired  thoroughly  into  the  motives  of  their 
alteration. 

I  called  to-day  on  Mr.  Katafago,  the  Austrian,  Rus- 
sian, Swedish,  and  Danish  Consul.  Be  is  a  very  zeal- 
ous Roman  Catholic,  but  he  reads  the  Bible  very  dili- 
gently. He  bought  an  Arabic  Psalter  from  Mr.  Tschu- 
(]y.  Mr.  Katafago  asked  me  the  reason  of  the  Bible 
Society  desiring  to  circulate  the  Bible  among  all  na- 
tions. 

I  told  him  they  had  no  other  object  in  view  than  that 
eveiy  creature  may  be  in  possession  of  the  word  of  God, 
which  shews  us  the  way  to  everlasting  life,  and  points 
out  to  us  that  Saviour  who  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and 
the  life.  The  Bible  Society  wishes  by  circulating  tliat 
word  of  God,  to  bring  mankind  out  of  darkness  into 
the  marvellous  liglit  of  the  Gospel,  that  nations  may 
come  to  Sion  and  worship  and  adore;  that  the  poor 
Hindoo  may  cease  to  worship  idols  made  by  his  own 
hands.  And  many  a  Hindoo  has  read  that  heavenly 
treasure  and  has  ceased  indeed  to  worship  those  idols. 
Pomarre,  Otaheite's  king,  is  now  the  apostle  of  his  na- 
tion. Cannibals  have  read  that  word  ofCjod,  and  have 
ceased  to  eat  the  flesh  of  their  enemies;  they  have  also 
learned  to  pardon  those  who  have  trespassed  against 
them. 

Mr.  Katafago  is  persuaded  that  the  Bible  Society  is  a 
useful  society. 


192 

Mr.  Berggren  has  become  member  of  the  London 
Society  for  promoting  Christianity  among  the  Jews. 

Jan.  6. — Peter  Abbott,  Esq.  the  British  Consul,  and 
Mr.  M'Michael,  went  with  me  to  Mr.  Amzalack,  a  Jew 
from  Gibraltar,  who  has  lived  in  this  country  many 
years,  1  there  met  with  one  of  the  seven  great  rabbies 
of  Safet.  They  examined  me  in  Hebrew,  and  rejoiced 
that  [  understood  that  language  so  well.  The  rabbi  in- 
vited me  to  spend  some  days  with  him  at  Safet.  1  did 
not  tell  them  at  first,  that  I  had  been  a  Jew,  but  Amza- 
lack said  to  Mr.  Abbott,  The  gentleman  has  undoubted- 
ly been  a  Jew.  I  said,  Ts  it  not  a  very  great  honour  to 
be  of  the  family  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  ^  All 
the  Jews  present  were  delighted  with  the  answer. 

John  Carne,  Esq.  with  whom  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
travelling  to  the  mount  Sinai,  arrived  and  brought  me 
letters  from  Peter  Lee,  Esq. 

Jan.  7. — Mr.  Carne,  the  dragoman  of  Mr.  Abbott, 
and  myself,  set  off  for  Beyrout.  Mr.  Carne,  with  the 
view  of  seeing  the  ruins  of  Palmyra,  and  I  with  the  in- 
tention of  studying  the  Syriac  dialect  of  the  Arabic  lan- 
guage in  a  convent  upon  mount  Lebanon.  We  passed 
Burg  min  Jarfe,  an  old  wasted  castle ;  we  slept  in  the 
house  of  the  kind  Arab  Isa  (Jesus,)  near  the  village  Na- 
kura,  near  the  sea  ;  and  we  passed  another  old  castle, 
formerly  called  Burg  Nalko  Hilana,  and  now  called 
Burg  Nakura. 

Jan.  8. — Arrived  at  Tyre,  (Sur)  which  was  a  mer- 
chant of  the  people  for  many  isles;  which  said,  I  am  of 
perfect  beauty.  It  has  been  as  Eden,  the  garden  of 
God,  till  iniquity  was  found  in  her  :  by  the  multitude  of 
her  merchandize  they  have  filled  the  midst  of  her  with 
violence,  and  Tyre  has  sinned,  and  therelbre  she  was 
cast  out  as  profane  out  of  the  mountain  of  God.  We 
lodged  there  in  a  Greek  Haw. — I  would  not  advise  any 
Christians  to  lodge  there,  for  it  is  a  house  which  seemed 
to  me  VQYy  suspicious;  I  should  rather  advise  them  to 
lodge  in  the  Roman  Catholic  chapel  of  the  Maronites. 
I  argued  with  a  Maronite  about  the  supremacy  of  the 
Pope. 


193 

Jan.  9. — x\rrived  with  Mr.  Carne,  and  Mr.  Kermey, 
the  dragoman  of  Mr.  Abbott,  at  Saida,  the  ancient  Zi- 
don  :  "  the  son  of  man  set  his  face  against  her,  and  said, 
Thus  saith  the   Lord  God  :   Behold  1  am   against  thee, 

0  Zidon  ;  and  I  will  be  glorified  in  the  midst  of  thee." 
Monsieur  iVIartin,  the  French  Constd,  for  whom  I  had  a 
letter,  received  me  kindly,  and  gave  me  and  my  friend 
Mr.  Carne  two  rooms  in  his  liouse.  Padre  Dio  Grazia 
Nugiiim,  a  Greek  Roman  Catholic,  and  Missionary 
from  the  Propaganda  at  Rome,  resides  in  the  French 
Haw  :  he  was  banished  from  Aleppo  by  the  patriarch  of 
the  Greeks,  with  other  Catholic  priests,  on  account  of 
their  having  refused  to  take  the  holy  supper  ♦ogether 
with  them  ;  and  how  was  it  possiole  (Padre  Nugium  ob- 
served) to  take  the  holy  supper  with  those  who  deny 
the  supremacy  of  the  Pope,  and  the  existence  of  a  pur- 
gatory, whilst  they  pray  for  the  dead  't  An  Italian  Ca- 
puchin is  like\^  ise  there,  and  without  knowing  one  of  the 
oriental  languacces,  he  is  a  missionary  of  the  Propagan- 
da :  he  made  me  a  present  of  the  council  of  Trent,  which 

1  told  him  1  wished  to  purchase  from  him.  1  told  both 
that  they  would  do  well  to  take  the  Scripture  for  their 
guide  in  arguing  with  heretics.  A  piece  of  advice 
which  1  now  know  by  experience,  is  the  best  we  can 
give  to  a  missionary. 

Jan.  9. — Hanna  Walad  Yussuf  Lajin  Alkalebi,  a  very 
amiable  eastern  Catholic,  who  resides  with  his  wife,  a 
Damascene  lady,  in  the  French  Haw,  introduced  me  to 
Simon  Zedaka,  the  most  learned  and  most  respectable 
of  the  Jews  at  Saida  ;  he  was  in  his  shop,  and  very  busy 
indeed.  1  went  to  him,  and  told  him  that  1  wished  to 
see  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews.  Simon  Zedaka  said  to 
me,  I  know  the  reason  of  your  coming  here,  you  will 
talk  with  us  about  Messiah  ;  come,  and  let  us  go  to  the 
synagogue.  He  called  the  schoolmaster,  Mose  Romno, 
and  opened  the  synagogue,  and  brought  forward  the 
five  books  of  Moses  and  the  Prophets.  I  tried  to  show 
them  the  53d  chapter  of  isaiah  ;  but  Simon  Zedaka  said, 
•'  You  will  show  us  tlie  53d  chapter,  but  we  will  first  of 
all  show  you  another  chapter  of  Isaiah,  the  Ixvith  chap- 

17 


194 

ter,  17th  verse.  *  They  that  sanctify  tliemselves,  and 
purify  themselves  in  the  gardens,  behind  one  tree  in  the 
midst,  eating  swine's  flesh,  and  the  abominaiion,  and  the 
mouse,  shall  be  consumed  together,  saith  the  Lord.'  Who 
eats  swine's  flesh  f" 

/.  If  you  wish  to  argue  with  me,  we  ought  first  of 
all  to  state  the  proposition  which  is  called  in  question  ; 
tell  me,  therefore,  what  do  you  intend  to  prove  by  this 
verse  f 

Simon  Zedaka.  That  the  Christians  have  not  the 
truth,  for  they  consider  it  allowed  to  eat  swine's  flesh, 
which  is  contrary  to  the  words  of  Moses  and  the  Pro- 
phets. 

/.  By  the  arrival  of  the  Messiah,  the  ceremonial  law, 
which  was  intended  to  point  out  Christ  to  us,  was  abol- 
ished, and  the  new  covenant  predicted  by  Jeremy  took 
place.  Christianity,  however,  does  not  consist  in  eat- 
ing swine's  fle^h,  yea,  it  even  forbids  to  eat  not  only 
swine's  flesh,  but  any  thing  whereby  our  brother  stum- 
bleth,  (Rom.  xiv.  20.)  Christianity  consists  in  believ- 
ing, that  all  Israel  shall  be  saved  ;  that  the  Son  of  David 
shall  reign  for  ever  ;  that  all  Gentiles  shall  come  to  his 
light ;  and  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  that  Son  of  David, 
who  died  forour  sins,  and  was  pierced  for  our  iniquities. 

Mose  Morno.  What  proof  have  you  that  he  was  al- 
ready  come  ^ 

1  cited  Genesis  xlix.  10,  and  Dan.  ix.,  Haggai  ii.  9. 

Mose  Morno.  Daniel  himself  confessed,  that  he  did 
not  know  the  time.  Hear  that  great  prophet.  "  And 
one  said  to  the  man  clothed  in  linen,  which  was  upon 
the  waters  of  the  rivers,  H«)w  long  shall  it  be  to  the  end 
of  these  wonders  ?  And  I  heard  the  man  clothed  in  lin- 
en, which  was  upon  the  waters  of  the  river,  when  he 
held  up  his  right  hand,  and  his  left  hand  unto  heaven, 
and  sware  by  him  that  liveth  forever,  that  it  shall  be  for 
a  time,  times,  and  an  half;  and  when  he  shall  have  ac- 
complished to  scatter  the  power  of  the  holy  people,  all 
these  things  shall  be  finished,  and  I  heard,  but  I  under- 
stood not ;  then  said  I,  O  my  Lord,  what  shall  be  the 
end  of  these  things  .?     And  he  said.  Go  thy  way,  Dan- 


195 

lel ;  for  the  words  are  closed  up  and  sealed  till  the  tiiuti 
of  the  end." 

/.  The  prophet  is  here  speaking  of  the  second  corn- 
ing of  our  Lord  ;  of  that  time  which  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self predictetii  ;  of  that  time,  when  the  Son  of  man  shall 
come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him  ; 
when  he  shall  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory ;  and  be- 
fore him  all  nations  shall  be  gathered  :  and  he  shall 
separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth 
the  sheep  from  the  goats. 

Simon  Zcdaka.  You  speak  the  truth,  I  believe  ? 

Mose  Monio.  Some  think  that  the  Mahomedans  al- 
ways choose  their  Sultans  out  of  the  tribe  of  Judah. 

/.  We  know  the  genealogy  of  the  Sultans,  they  are 
born  Mussulmen. 

Simon  Zedaka.  I  am  in  the  possession  of  the  New 
Testament ;  I  read  it,  and  was  pleased  with  it ;  it  does 
contain  consolation  for  Israel.  Israel  must  finally  be 
saved.  I  bouglit  it  from  one  who  was  no  friend  of  Is- 
rael. 

Mose  Morno.  "  How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains 
are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good  tidings,  that  pub- 
lisheth  peace  !" 

/.  Jesus  Christ  has  published  peace  upon  the  moun- 
tains ;  peace  to  the  poor  in  spirit.  *'  Blessed  are  the 
poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  !" — 
Peace  to  those  that  are  in  distress ;  "  Blessed  are  they 
that  mourn  :  for  they  shall  be  comforted  !"  he  has  pub- 
lished peace  which  the  world  cannot  give  ;  "  Peace  I 
leave  with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you  :  not  as  the 
world  giveth."     John  xiv.  27. 

Simon  Zedaka  went  with  me  to  his  house,  and  show- 
ed me  a  New  Testament,  and  observed  ;  the  gentleman 
who  brought  me  this  book,  came  not  with  love  to  the 
Jews.  He  said  to  me  :  It  is  the  principle  of  this  book  ; 
Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord  !  Mark 
xii.  29.  But  one  thing  strikes  me  ;  this  is.  the  doctrine  : 
*'  That  ye  resist  not  evil  :  but  whosoever  shall  smite 
thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also  ;  and 
if  any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away  thy 


196 

<:oat  let  him  have  thy  cloak  also."  I  ask  you  now,  who 
will  ever  do  this  ? 

/.  All  this  teaches  us  to  forget  injury ;  thus  did  Jo- 
seph towards  his  brethren,  and  David  the  king  towards 
Saul  :  he  wept  for  the  death  of  that  man,  who  had  per- 
secuted him  throughout  all  his  life.  And  Christ  pray- 
ed for  his  enemies,  "  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know 
not  what  they  do."  Luke  xxiii.  34. 

He  gave  me  letters  for  Safet.  At  Said  are  ten  families 
of  Jews.  Hanno  Jussuf  Lajin  Alkalebi  gave  me  letters 
for  Damascus,  that  I  may  be  introduced  to  the  Jews  of 
that  place.  They  are  in  Damascus,  mighty,  rich,  and 
learned. 

Jan.  10. — Left  Said,  in  company  of  Mr.  Crane,  and 
arrived  at  Beyrout  in  the  evening.  The  Jews  here  are 
in  a  very  ignorant  state.  I  preached  the  gospel  to  two 
of  their  rabbies,  without  the  least  opposition.  There 
are  only  five  families  of  Jews.  I  here  met  my  old  friend 
Mr.  Burt,  who  promised  to  correspond  with  me  ;  and 
to  forward,  as  much  as  possible,  my  views  as  to  the  con- 
version of  the  Jews  in  mount  Lebanon. 

Jan.  17. — My  soul  was  oppressed  and  low,  and  I  did 
not  know  how  to  console  myself  I  read  Luke  xv.  and  was 
struck  with  the  words  :  *  But  when  he  was  yet  a  great 
way  off,  his  father  saw  him,  and  had  compassion,  and 
ran,  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him."  O  Lord, 
wilt  thou  have  compassion  on  me  ^  1  am  yet  a  great  way 
off;  I  feel  it  daily  more  and  more.  Have  compassion 
on  me,  run  and  fall  on  my  neck,  that  I  may  not  be  able 
to  fly  from  thee !  A  Maronite  priest  called  on  me,  and 
said  that  he  loved  me  very  much  ;  but  that  I  want  one 
thing,  viz.  to  believe  in  the  pope. 

/.  Shew  me  by  the  Gospel,  that  the  belief  in  the  pope 
is  necessary  for  our  salvation,  and  1  shall  most  heartily 
subscribe  to  your  wish. 

Maronite.  "  Thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  will 
I  build  my  church  ;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  pre- 
vail against  it."     Mat.  xvi.  18. 

/.  And  our  Lord  faithfully  accomplished  that  pro- 
mise, when  Peter,  by  his  first  preaching,  added,  3,000 


197 

to  the  believers  of  Christ,  who  continued  steadfastly  in 
the  apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking 
of  bread,  and  in  prayers;  and  in  this  manner  we  see 
that  Peter  became  a  rock  ;  for  the  foundation  of  the 
church  was  laid  ;  those  3,000  brought  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  to  the  several  parts  of  the  world  ;  and  the  gates 
of  hell,  persecution  and  death,  have  never  been  able  to 
prevail  against  those  believers. 

Maronite.  Where  has  Peter  been? 

/.  At  Antiochia  and  Cesarea. 

Maronite.  And  lastly  at  Rome. 

/.  Although  it  is  uncertain,  I  am  ready  to  admit  that 
be  was  at  Rome  ;  but  it  does  not  follow  that  Peter  was 
head  of  the  apostles,  or  that  the  Pope  is  the  rock  upon 
which  Christ  builds  his  church. 

Maronite.  What  do  you  think  of  Augustine  .^^ 

1.  He  was  a  very  good  Christian. 

Maronite.  Was  he  a  learned  man  f 

I.  Very  learned  indeed  ! 

Maronite.  Was  he  a  Catholic  f 

I.  Yes. 

Maronite.  Did  he  believe  in  the  pope  of  Rome  ? 

I.  No,  not  at  all. 

Maronite.  You  are  now  going  to  the  convent  of  Ayun 
Warga,  I  will  give  you  a  letter  for  the  Bishop  Gibrail, 
who  is  able  to  argue  better  than  I  can. 

Jan.  18. — I  was  getting  ready  for  my  visit  to  the 
prince  of  mount  Lebanon  ;  Mr.  Abbot  prepared  the  let- 
ters of  introduction.  Monsieur  Rattier,  Eleve  Interprete 
de  France,  and  I\lr.  Palani  from  Piemonte  called  on  me. 
The  first  is  residing  al  Ghazir,  upon  mount  Lebanon, 
for  the  purpose  of  learning  the  vulgar  Arabic.  Mr.  Ab- 
bot, and  a  Turkish  merchant,  named  Haygi  Mahomed 
Hareishi  from  Fez,  spent  the  evening  with  me  in  my 
room. 

Jan.  19. — Read  the  Bible,  took  lessons  in  Arabic, 
and  was  introduced  to  the  governor,  who  expounded 
the  Koran  to  us. 

Jan,  2Q. — Read  the  pra vers  of  the  church  of  England ' 


198 

Jan.  21. — Prepared  myself  for  going  to  the  Emir 
Bashir,  but  was  not  able  to  leave  Beyrout. 

Jan.  22 — Sent  my  servant  to  Ghazir,  a  Capuchin  con- 
vent, where  Mr.  Rattier,  a  French  gentleman,  resided, 
10  learn  Arabic  ;  and  I  went  to  Emir  Bashir,  the  prince 
of  the  Druses  in  the  mountains  of  Lebanon.  1  slept  the 
first  night  in  Dir  Alkamo,  in  the  house  of  Germanus 
Serkis,  curate  of  Dir  Alkamo. 

Jan.  23. — Mr.  Abbot  provided  me  with  a  letter  of  in- 
troduction to  the  prince  of  Lebanon. 

Jan.  24. — Introduced  myself  to  the  Emir  Bashir,  who 
received  me  very  kindly,  and  gave  me  a  letter  for  the 
president  of  Ayun  Warga,  that  I  may  learn  the  Arabic 
language,  and  a  firman  for  the  whole  country  of  mount 
Lebanon.  Returned  to  Beyrout,  and  slept  on  my  re- 
turn in  the  village  called  Ahyun  Ameb,  in  the  house  of 
the  Maronite  peasant  called  Nicola. 

Jan.  25. — Arrived  at  Beyrout ;  slept  in  the  house  of 
Mr.  Abbott,  where  I  tried  to  turn  M.  from  the  foolish 
idea  of  marrying  an  eastern  lady  for  novelty. 

Jan.  26. — Left  Beyrout,  passed  Nahr  Alkalb,  where 
there  is  a  remarkable  Latin  inscription  in  the  rock  ;  and 
arrived  in  the  house  of  Monsignor  Luigi  Gandolfi,  Vi- 
cairo  Apostolico  di  Roma,  upon  mount  Lebanon,  who 
showed  me  letters  of  Shech  Ibrahim.  I  gave  him  my 
confidence,  and  told  him,  that  1  revere  many  members 
of  the  Romish  church.  He  knew  Buckhardt  the  mis- 
sionary^, very  well.  He  requested  an  Arabic  Bible, 
He  observed  that  he  is  persuaded  the  Bible  Society  has 
not  made  any  alteration  in  the  text. 

Jan.  27. — Arrived  in  Ghazir,  which  was  formerly  a 
convent  of  Capuchins.  I  there  met  with  my  servant, 
and  a  Sicilian  physician,  called  Mr.  Fernando.  Mr. 
Rattier  was  returned  to  Beyrout.  1  was  introduced  to 
the  prince  of  this  place,  Abdallah,  who  is  only  fourteen 
years  of  age,  and  to  the  Bishop  Gibrail,  to  whom  1  de- 
livered the  letter  of  a  Pater,  who  wrote  to  him,  that  he 
should  try  to  convert  me  to  the  Catholic  church  ;  for  I 
had  told  him  that  I  was  ready  to  acknowledge  the  pope. 


199 

if  be  would  show  me  the  necessity  ofacknowledging  hino 
by  Scriptural  proofs. 

Jan.  28. — 1  left  Ghazir,  and  went  to  the  Maronite 
college,  Ayun  Warga.  We  stopt  for  three  hours  in 
the  Armenian  convent,  called  Bait  Hashbuh,  Dir  Al- 
armin  Mar  Antonius  Beduani ;  the  name  of  the  superior 
is  Gregorius  ;  they  expressed  a  desire  of  establishing  a 
college  in  England  They  were  very  hospitable  and 
kind  indeed.  They  argued  with  me,  and  asked  me  as 
to  my  belief  i  said,  1  believed  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
the  Son  of  the  living  God.  and  came  down  from  heaven 
to  die  for  poor  wretched  sinners,  and  arose  again  from 
the  dead,  and  ascended  into  heaven,  from  whence  he 
will  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  ! 

Rais  Gregorius.  Your  faith  is  very  good,  but  one 
thing  more,  and  you  shall  be  saved,  and  this  is,  believe 
in  the  vicar  of  Christ,  the  pope. 

/.  Paul  and  the  apostle  spake  otherwise  to  the  keep- 
er of  the  prison,  when  he  asked,  »'  Sirs,  what  must  I  do 
be  saved  ?"  For  they  said,  *'  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shall  be  saved."  A.  ts  xv.  31  ;  viii.  37. 

Padre  Stambuli,  my  Arabic  master  at  Ayun  Warga, 
who  was  present,  replied,  "  If  we  believe  in  Christ,  we 
must  believe  in  the  words  of  Christ,  and  the  words  of 
Christ  is  contained  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament."  I 
wondered  that  the  Maromite  did  not  mention  belief  in 
tradition. 

/.  I  agree  with  you  so  far,  and  I  am  read}^  to  acknow- 
ledge the  pope,  if  you  can  show  me  by  Scripture  that  it 
is  necessary. 

Hannat  Stambuli.  You  acknowledge  that  Peter  was 
the  first  of  the  apostles  ^ 

I.  No ;  not  at  all. 

Stambuli.  Why  did  our  Lord  ask  Peter  thrice,  "  Si- 
mon Peter,  lovest  thou  me  .'^"  and  no  other  apostle  ;  and 
why  did  he  charge  him  thrice  to  feed  his  Iambs  ?  John 
xxi.  15. 

/.  He  had  reason  for  asking  Peter  so  impressively, 
for  Peter  denied  him  tinice.  We  learn  by  this,  that  the 
Lord  receives  repenting  sinners. 


200 

SiambuU  gave  up  the  point,  and  said,  You  say  you 
believe  all  that  is  written  in  Scripture,  why  do  you  not 
believe  that  the  bread  and  wine  are  changed  into  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ,  which  Christ  affirms  saying  : 
"  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  bocly.^^  Hoc  est  corpus  meum 
(every  Maronite  knows  those  four  Latin  words.)  Matt, 
xxvi.  26. 

1.  That  these  words  must  be  taken  spiritually,  is 
clear  from  John  vi.  63. 

After  we  had  dined,  we  proceeded  on  our  journey  for 
Ayun  Warga,  an  hour  distant  from  Mar  Antonius  Be- 
duani.  The  Kais  received  me  kindly,  introduced  to  me 
the  eighteen  pupils,  who  receive  eating,  drinking,  and 
clothing,  gratis  from  the  convent.  I  went  in  the  even- 
ing to  the  church  and  heard  them  sing  the  Syrian 
Psalms.  The  old  priest  Ibrahim  spent  the  evening  with 
me,  and  spoke  of  former  times. 

Jan,  28. — To-day  the  Maronites  of  Ayun  Warga  cele- 
brated the  feast  of  Epliraim  Syrus.  The  fifteen  pupils 
of  the  convent  of  Ayun  Warga,  assemble  themselves 
three  times  daily  before-Uie  altar  of  God  ;  their  master 
stands  in  the  midst  of  them  ;  and  they  praise,  in  melo- 
dious harmony,  the  Redeemer  of  the  world,  in  the  Sy- 
rian and  Arabic  language!  Kyrie  Eleison,  Christe 
Eleison,  is  heard  repeatedly.  Oh,  that  no  prayer  to  a 
creature  may  be  mixed  with  it !  But,  alas,  this  is  not  the 
case  ;  they  unite  their  voices  in  the  exclamations,  "  Mar 
Ephraim,  Asalli  min  Agelnir,  Holy  Ephraim,  pray  for 
us  !"  I  took  a  walk  in  the  company  of  my  master,  Huri 
Hannat  Stambuli,  to  the  Armenian  convent,  called  Dir 
Alkareim,  The  Rais  of  this  convent  did  not  receive  me 
so  warmly  as  the  Rais  of  the  Armenian  convent,  S.  An- 
tonio Badwi  (Padua).  They  have  very  few  books  in 
their  library.  I  ^et\  a  most  awful  barrenness  in  my 
heart,  since  I  cease  to  labour  among  my  brethren. 

Jan.  29. — Read  the  Gospel  in  Arabic  with  the  priest 
Stambuli.  Oh,  my  Lord,  I  perceive  that  I  shall  always 
remain  the  same  Wolf,  in  whatever  object  I  may  be  em- 
ployed. 1  need  thy  grace,  I  want  thy  help,  that  thou 
mayest  overshadow  me  with  thy  Holy  Spirit.     Mayest 


201 

thou  come  down  upon  me  with  the  light  of  thy  counte- 
nance. Lord,  Satan  persecutes  me  wherever  I  am,  wher- 
ever I  delay.  Oh,  may  thy  presence  be  always  before 
my  eyes,  that  J  may  not  fall  into  sin  again  as  hitherto. 
For  the  sake  of  thy  only  begotten  Son,  1  beseech  thee, 
let  thy  sanctuary  not  be  blasphemed — give  me  from  day 
to  day  more  knowledge  of  my  heart,  and  let  tliat  know- 
ledge of  sin  be  accompanied  by  true  repentance,  and 
the  confession  of  sin  unto  salvation.     Amen. 

Meditation. — I  «m  now,  but  there  was  a  time  when  no 
man  knew  me,  when  I  was  not,  and  this  is  the  case  of 
every  creature  around  me  !  There  must  therefore  be  a 
Being  which  has  given  me  existence  :  and  this  is  con- 
firmed by  a  book  which  was  preserved  through  all  re- 
volutions of  times  from  century  to  century.  That  book 
tells  me  that  a  being  called  Elohim  has  created  heaven 
and  earth,  and  he  made  man  in  his  image,  after  his  like- 
ness, that  we  may  seek  the  Lord,  and  find  him ;  but 
how,  O  Lord,  is  it  that  I  am  so  wicked,  that  we  are  so 
wicked  ?  God  is  good,  and  from  him  therefore  do  all 
good  things  originate.  Philosophers  ask  for  many  cen- 
turies, Where  is  the  origin  of  evil  f  and  they  are  not 
able  to  give  a  satisfactory  reply.  The  scriptures  alone 
satisfy  my  mind.  They  may  not  satisfy  a  spirit  desir- 
ous of  cavilling,  but  the  soul  which  breathes  after  God, 
and  is  thirsty  after  the  fountain  of  life.  They  tell  me 
that  a  serpent  was  more  subtle  than  any  beast  of  the 
field  ;  that  a  dragon  deceived  Eve,  the  woman  ;  and 
from  thence  the  evil  originated.  And,  O  Lord,  how 
strongly  do  I  feel  this  evil  in  my  own  breast ;  wretched 
man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
this  death  ?  blessed  be  thy  name,  I  am  able  to  thank 
thee  through  Jesns  Christ  our  Lord,  through  whom  he 
giveth  us  victory ! 

Jan.  30. — Oh  that  the  Lord  may  have  mercy  upon 
me,  and  call  unto  me  with  the  power  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
Joseph,  my  son  !  Joseph,  my  son  !  I  perceive  the  neces- 
sity of  writing  to  England  for  a  fellow-labourer.  The 
reading  of  religious  books  is  of  no  use  if  the  Lord  does 
not  carry  on  his  work  in  our  heart.     Lord,  help,  I  be- 


202 

seech  thee  !  Lord,  help  me  with  the  light  of  thy  counte- 
nance !  Oh  that  I  may  become  a  Jew  truly  converted 
unto  thee,  like  thy  servant  Paul !  Out  of  the  depth,  O 
Lord,  1  call  unto  thee  !  It  is  awful  to  kneel  down  be- 
fore the  throne  of  thy  grace,  when  our  heart  is  far  from 
thee  still.  Oh  that  1  may  be  disposed  to  go  apart  to 
pray.  Lord,  so  many  friends  in  England  look  unto  me 
with  expectation,  that  it  would  be  awful  they  should  be 
disappointed  !  the  enemy,  the  enemy  of  mankind  would 
say,  Thus  we  would  have  it. 

Lord,  1  have  a  mother,  who  does  not  yet  believe  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ ;  and  1  have  three  brothers  and  three 
sisters — if  they  should  hear  how  much  the  profession  of 
thy  name,  which  I  have  performed,  has  profited  not  only 
my  own  soul,  but  others  likewise,  they  shall  surely  re- 
joice, and  it  may  be  the  means  of  their  conversion;  but  if 
they  should  hear  otherwise,  if  they  should  hear  that  their 
Joseph  lives  in  sin,  and  has  given  reason  for  the  enemy 
to  triumph,  they  will  not  know  what  they  say — and  I 
shall  be  the  reason  that  the  grey  hairs  of  my  mother  go 
down  with  sorrow  to  the  grave.  Yea,  I,  even  I,  should 
bringdown  the  gray  hairs  of  my  mother  with  sorrow  to 
the  grave.  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul,  and 
why  art  thou  disquieted  within  me  !  hope  in  God ;  I 
shall  yet  praise  him,  who  is  the  health  of  my  counten- 
ance, and  my  God  ;  for  I  have  heard  with  my  ears,  my 
fathers  have  told  me,  what  work  thou  didst  in  their  days, 
in  the  times  of  old  !  Thou  art  my  king,  O  God  ;  com- 
mand deliverances  for  Jacob,  and  for  myself. 

The  Maronites  of  the  college  at  Ayun  Warga  assem- 
ble their  pupils  every  day  in  this  church,  and  among 
the  other  edifying  prayers,  the  following  prayer  of 
Ephraim  Syr  us  is  heard,  which  I  give  in  its  Latin  trans- 
lation. 

**  Jesu  parens  ac  Pastor  optime,  te  cum  gemitu  invo- 
co,  quemadmodum  regius  me  docuit  vates  in  Psalmo, 
inquiens  ;  Miserere  mei,  Deus,  secundum  magnam  mis- 
ericordiam  tuam;  lava  me  ab  iniquitate  mea,  eta  delicto 
meo  munda  me.  Tibi  soli  peccavi,  et  malum  coram 
te  feci.     Te  ad  iracundiam  audacissime   incitavi  ;  tu 


203 

autem'qui  suavis  supra  fidem,  et  mitis  es,  nobis  succefi» 
sere  ne  velis,  ueque  vultus  tui  serenitatem  nosiris  un- 
quam  pecaatis  sinas  abnubilari.  Per  caritatem  patris, 
et  Spiritus  tui,  precor  quaesoque,  ut  omnibus  delictis 
meis  ignoscas. 

*'Ex  numero  me  esse  vides  centum  ovium  felicissima- 
rum,  quae  sub  tua  degunt  custodia.  At  prob  miser  ; 
Excessi  e  grege,  et  inconsulto  hue  illuc  erravi,  quoniam 
proditoris  fraudibus  me  decipi  passus  sum.  Amantis- 
sime  Pastor,  egredere,  obsecro,  ad  me  quaerendum,  et  in- 
ventum  ad  ovile  reducito  super  humeros  tuos,  ut  an- 
gelorum  ccetus  et  Ecclesia  sponsa  tua  cum  omnibus 
Sliis  tuis,  de  ove,  quae  jam  perierat,  inventa  tibi,,  con- 
gratulentur  ! 

*'  Ne  sinas,  Domine,  ut  a  te  divellar,  quamquam  flagi- 
liosissimus  ;  quandoquidem  mos  est  clementiae  tuae  per- 
ditissimos  quosque  bomines  suaviter  ad  sese  allicere,  et 
revocare.  Suscipe  ergo  indigni  atque  immerentis  fa- 
muli poenitentiam,  obsecrantis  Majestatem  tuam,  ut  per 
immensam  gratiae  tuae  largitatem  sibi  quoque,  quema- 
modum  latroni,  ignoscas,  et  omnia  peccati  vuhiera 
sanare  velis  quibus  praeter  te,  mederi  nemo  potest. 

"  Dulcissime  Jesu,  mortalium  salus  et  indulgentiae  lar- 
gitor,  qui  in  Calvariae  montis  vcrtice  oblatus  es  ut  Jm- 
manam  naturam  salubirrimo  tui  corporis  sacrificio, 
Eterno  Patri  reconciliares,  suscipe,  quacso,  oblaiiones 
precesque  nostras,  &z;c.  &z;c. 

Jan.  31. — I  encouraged  the  priests  of  Ajun  Warga, 
to  translate  the  pra3'ers  ol'S.  Ephraim  into  the  Arabic 
language,  that  I  might  send  them  to  England  to  be 
printed  there,  for  distribution  in  mount  Lebanon.  They 
were  pleased  by  m}^  request. 

Feb.  1. — Yussuf  Ibrahim  Elias,  a  Maronite  Shech,  my 
master  Hannat  Stambuli,  a  Maronite  priest,  and  Yussuf, 
the  superior  of  the  convent,  assembled  in  my  room,  to 
argue  with  me,   and  convert  me  to  the  Popish  church. 

Shech  Yussuf  Ibn  Ellas,   Do  you  love  the  truth  ^ 

I.  Very  much 

Yussuf  Ibn  Elias.  You  must  become  a  Catholic  as 


204 

we  are  ;  you  must  believe  in  the  holy  Romish  Apostolic 
church. 

/.  I  shall  do  so,  when  you  prove  to  me  by  the  Old  or 
New  Testament,  that  the  Belief  in  the  Pope  is  necessary 
for  our  salvation. 

Yussuf  Ibn  Elias.  I  shall  do  so  by  Scripture,  and  by 
human  reason. 

/.  1  takeon/ythe  authority  of  the  written  word  of  God, 
not  the  authorit}^  of  my  understanding,  for  my  under- 
standing may  deceive  me, 

Yussuf  Ibn  Elias.  You  speak  well,  but  I  will  prove  to 
you  by  Scripture  that  you  are  wrong  ;  and  Jirst,  I  re- 
mind you  of  the  words  of  the  Song  of  Solomon,  (Song 
of  Solomon  vi.  9.)  My  dove,  my  undefihd  is  one.  The 
church  of  God  is  that  dove,  and  that  church  must  be  one. 
1  ask  you.  What  church  is  now  the  true  church,  the  Ro' 
mish  or  the  English  church  ? 

i.  (The  Scripture  before  me  :)  All  those  who  believe 
in  Christ  Jesus,  (Acts  xvi.  31,  John  iii.  36.  Rom.  i.  16, 
17.)  All  those  who  build  upon  the  foundation  of  the 
apostles  and  prophets,  and  who  have  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self as  the  chief  corner-stone,  (Eph.  ii.  20,  21,  1  Cor. 
iii.  11,)  who  are  baptized  in  his  name,  (Matthew  xxviii.) 
all  those  are  one  church. 

Ynssuj  Ibn  Elias.  You  believe  in  Christ,  you  must  be- 
lieve Q\^\y  one  of  his  words. 

/.  Surely. 

After  1  had  answered  their  remarks  upon  the  expres- 
sion of  Christ,  Thou  art  the  rock,  (Matthew  xvi.  18,) 
they  confessed  that  they  could  argue  no  longer,  and 
broke  off.  Stambuli  said,  he  would  argue  on  the  sub- 
ject the  next  morning. 

After  1  had  proposed  to  the  superior  of  Ayun  Warga, 
the  plan  of  establishing  a  college  upon  mount  Lebanon 
for  English  Christians,  he  encouraged  me  to  write  about 
it  to  the  Bishop  Hannat,  vicar-general  of  the  patriarch 
of  the  Maroniies  residing  at  Aintura.  1  wrote  to  him, 
and  desired  him,  1.  To  translate  some  prayers  of  S. 
Ephraim  into  the  Arabic  language,  to  be  printed  in 
England.  2,  I  asked  Bishop  Hannat,  whether  he  would 


205 

have  any  objection  to  the  English  nation  establishing  a 
college  upon  mount  Lebanon,  where  Arabic  and  Syriac 
might  be  learned  from  the  ;>»aronites,  and  the  Maron- 
ites  themselves  taught  English,  French,  and  Italian  by 
the  English  who  came  there.  3.  Whether  he  would 
agree,  that  I  should  propose  to  my  friends  in  England 
to  establish  a  college  for  Maronites  in  England,  like 
that  at  Rome.  I  wrote  to  him  in  the  Arabic  language. 
Feb.  3.— Luigi  Assemani  desired  to  argue  with  me  again 
about  faith  in  the  Pope,  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  the  saints. 
But  as  he  is  very  young,  I  thought  it  not  fair  to  argue 
with  him  ;  1  told  him,  therefore,  that  I  advised  him  to 
read  the  Word  of  God  diligently,  which  tells  us,  that 
God  shall  add  the  plagues  written  in  that  book  unto  the 
man  who  should  add  to  it ;  and  that  he  should  read  that 
word  of  God  with  prayer,  and  then  he  would  perceive 
the  reason  of  my  disbelief  in  the  Pope. 

Huri  (Priest)  Hannat  Stambuli,  Yussuf  Elias,  and 
other  Maronites,  asked  me,  Whether  I  had  read  the 
Church  History  ^  I  replied,  "  Yes  ;"  they  desired  me 
then  to  mention  one  instance  when  the  Pope  did  err  in 
matter  of  faith  ^  1  mentioned  to  them  two  instances — ■ 
that  of  Pope  Honorius,  and  the  other  of  Liberals. 
Copy  of  the  letter  1  wrote  to  Monsignor  Luigi   Gan- 

dolifi,  Apostolic  Vicar  in  mount  Lebanon. 

lUustrissimo  Signorc, 

La  lettera  che  ho  ricevuta  dalla.  V.  S.  Illustrissima 
ha  confirmata  in  me  la  persuasione,  che  la  V.  S,  Illus- 
trissima sia  una  persona  degna  del  nome  e  del  titulo  di 
f^icario  Jlpostollco,  e  per  questo  stesso  motivo,  To  non 
dubito  un  momento,  ch'  io  possi  prender  la  liberta  d* 
indirizzarmi  alia  V.  S.  con  questa  e  supplica  umillis- 
sima. 

La.  V.  S.  sa  lo  scopo  del  mio  viaggio  e  un  scopo 
(ch'io  spero  nella  misericordia  infinita  di  Dio)  che  sara 
lo  scopo,  di  tutta  la  mia  vita,  cioe,  di  far  conoscere,  il 
Redentore  dell'  Universo  agli  Ebrei  gia  il  popolo  di 
Dio — ed  il  valofe  del  suo  sangue  prezioso.  Ma  I'esem- 
pio  d'un  Apostolo  da  Dio  inspirato,  I'esempio  d'un  Pa- 
olo, e  I'esempio  dej  Missionari  m'hanaocouvinti  il  com- 

18 


206 

mandamento  del  Nostro  Signore  Stesso  d'essere  pru- 
dente  come  una  serpente,  e  semplice  t^ome  una  colunnba, 
60  dico  m'hanno  convinti  che  si  dee  usare  prudenza,  e 
per  questo  stesso  motivo  ho  determinato  (essendo  ii  pri- 
mo  anno  eh'  io  vado  fra  gli  Ebrei)  di  cercare  soltanlo 
per  un  anno  intiero  nello  stato  e  nei  costumi  degli 
Ebrei,  e  sapendo  che  si  sono  delle  persone  degne  del 
riguardo  fra  i  Ebrei  in  Aleppo,  ho  I'intenzione  d'andar 
la  dopo  alcuni  giorni  e  restar  la  alcune  settinnane ;  dnn- 
que  Io  sarei  per  questo  stesso  motivo  mollissimamente 
obligato  alia  V.  S.  lllustrissima,  se  la  V.  S.  lilustrissima 
mi  mandarebbe  per  mezzo  del  latore  di  quesla  leltera 
mia,  una  lettera  di  raccommandazione  per  il  Signor 
Esdra  de  Picuitto  e  per  il  Rebino  di  Aleppo  ;  e  scrivi 
a  quel  Signori  ch'  io  sono  venuto  per  cercare  nello  stato 
degli  Ebrei.  11  mio  cuore  sarebbe  infntto  sempre  pen- 
etrato  dal  gratitudine  verso  di  Lei;  ed  io  nella  miseri- 
cordia  del  Signore  e  nella  sua  infinita  grazia  chio  spero 
di  veder  una  volta  la  V.  S.  lllustrissima,  dinanzi  il  tro- 
no  di  quello Signore  clii  regua  lassue  cbi  sede  alia  destra 
del  Suo  Padre  Eterno,  dinanzi  il  trono  di  Gesu  Cristo, 
il  quale  e  Dio  in  Eterno !  E,  sapendo  la  propria  miade- 
bolizza,  Io  prego  la  V  S.  ed  ii  Signor  Padre  Renardo 
di  pregar  ancora  per  me,  che  Iddi  dia  a  me  stesso  un  cu- 
ore veramente  contrito  ed  umiliato.  "  Cor  contritum 
et  humiliatun),  Deus  non  despicies,"  ed  accio  io  facci 
tutto  per  la  Gloria  del  Signore  /  Non  nobis  Domine, 
non  nobis,  sed  nomini  tuo  da  Gloriam  !  Ilhistrissimo 
Signor  Viscovo,  e  carissimo  mio  Padre  Renardo,  vi  as- 
sicuro  che  io  piango  pensando  dell'  anima  mia  pecca- 
trice,  ed  osservando  che  io  porto  con  me  ed  in  me  itesso 
Io  istesso  uomo,  se  Io  guardo  sulla  mia  propria  indegni- 
ta,  ma  con  tutto  cio  io  Io  so  che  la  Grazia  del  Signor,  e 
abile  di  rimovere  i  montagni  stessi.  Qui  declinasti  co- 
elos  et  descendisti,  tetegisti  montes  et  fumigavere  (Au- 
gustinus  in  suis  Confessionibus)  Quanto  felice  Io  sarei 
se  I^ei  ed  il  Signor  Renardo  mi  degnarebbero  ancora 
di  una  lettera,  ed  Io  sarei  ancora  molto  obbligato  alia 
V.  S.  lllustrissima  se  la  V.  S.  lllustrissima,  tutti  e  Chris- 
tiani  di  questo  montagno  di  pregar  per  la  Salute  del  po- 
poli  d'lsraele  !  E  mi  sarebbe  una  gran   consolazine,  se 


207 

la  V,  S.  Ilhistrlssima  ed  il  Signor  Padre  Renardo  mi 
assicurarebbero  nello  risposta  c!ie  aiiibedu  e  haiino  pre- 
gati  per  la  conversione  d'lsraeli. — Suo    Servo  indegno. 

Giuseppe  Wolf. 

Feb.  3. — Meditntio7i. — Tn  the  night,  at  half  past  ele- 
ven, my  soul  was  filled  with  sorrow  on  account  of  past 
sins  committed,  and  of  my  indwelling  sins.  Oh  Lord, 
1  cannot  be  quiet,  and  I  must  be  going  about  to  preach 
thy  word  in  the  spirit  of  that  Lord  whom  I  will  preach 
to  all  people  living  in  darkness  .  .  .  Oh,  1  feel  that  I 
think  often,  very  often,  more  of  the  people  to  be  saved, 
than  of  the  saving  Redeemer  and  Lord,  and  more  fre- 
quently of  myself,  1  beseech,  therefore,  OLord,  create 
in  me  a  new  spirit,  a  clean  heart,  a  contrite  spirit,  a  bro* 
ken  heart!  Oh!  when  I  think  in  what  heavenly  frame 
of  mind  thy  servants  Brainerd  and  Henry  Martin  walk- 
ed, and  in  what  a  heavenly  frame  of  mind  still  thy  ser- 
vants Charles  Simeon,  Thomas,  and  Ward  are  walk- 
ing, and  brother  La  Roche  and  Detrich  !  Oh  let  thy 
cause  not  be  blasphemed,  O  Lord,  1  beseech  thee,  let 
thy  cause  not  be  blasphemed  !  Make  me  an  instrument 
for  the  salvation  of  thy  people,  my  brethren  ;  but,  oh  ! 
that  I  may  feel  it  stronger  and  experience  it  stronger  in 
my  own  heart,  that  I  am  arrived  at  the  desired  haven — - 
to  the  experimental  knowledge  of  the  love  of  Christ  ex- 
perienced in  my  own  heart ! 

"  Watchman,  what  of  the  night?  Watchman,  what 
of  the  night!  the  watchman  said.  The  morning  cometh, 
and  also  the  night;  if  ye  will  enquire,  enquire  ye;  re- 
turn, come  !" 

Oh  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  whose  name  is  so  sweet,  I  am 
now  writing  down  these  lines  upon  paper,  but  do  1  feel 
the  truth,  the  force,  the  power  of  them,  in  my  own 
lieart.  Thy  law  is  so  beautiful,  thy  word  is  so  beauti- 
ful, thy  covenant  is  so  beautiful ;  make  with  me  that  new 
covenant,  not  according  to  the  covenant  that  thou  ma- 
dest  with  my  fathers  in  the  day  that  thou  tookest  them 
by  the  hand  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  but 
let  this  be  thy  covenant  with  me,  put  thy  law  in  my  in- 


208 

ward  parts,  writeit  in  my  heart,  and  be  my  God,  O  Sa- 
viour, and  let  me  be  thy  son,  that  I  may  have  my  de- 
light in  thee,  day  and  night ! 

Feb.  4. — The  following  letter  contains  the  answer  of 
Monsignor  Luigi  Gandolfi,  to  mine  of  February  3. 

Illnro  Signore, 
Ricevo  in  questo  momento  la  preggiat"^^  di  Lei  let- 
tera  nella  quale  mi  dice,  che  pensa  di  passare  in  Alep- 
po, io  prego  il  Signor  di'  accordale  un  felice  \iaggio, 
e  faccia  Iddio  che  la  di  Lei  Missione  abbia  tutto  il  suc- 
cesso  che  lei  desidera.  Le  acchiudo  qui  la  lettera  che 
lei  mi  domanda  per  il  Signor  Esdra  di  Piccioto,  Con- 
sole Generale  Austriaco  in  Aleppo.  Avra  la  bonta  di 
sigillarla,  per  li  Rabbini  poi  io  non  conosco  alcuno  di 
loro,  e  non  ho  qui  alcun  Segretario  Arabo  per  scriver- 
li,  e  non  saprei  neppure  cosa  scrivere,  e  forse  senza  let- 
tera e  meglio,  perche  allora  si  mettono  in  guardia,  mi 
pare  che  e  piu  sicuro  di  prenderli  cosi  all'  improviso. 
Frattanto  ella  mi  cpnservi  la  sua  buona  amicizia,  e  spero 
che  mi  dara  poi  avviso  del  suo  felice  arrivo  in  Aleppo 
in  buona  salute  mentre  io  ho  I'onore  di  rinuovurmi  col- 
Ja  piu  perfetta  considerazione. 

dl  V.  S.  Ill^s 
Devot™o  affezQio  Servitore, 
Luigi  Gandolfi,  Vic^  Apostolico, 

peh.  5. — I  went  with  my  Arabic  master,  Hanna  Stam- 
buli,  to  see  the  inhabited  convent  Kourka,  which  Bish- 
op Hannah  Marone  offered  me  that  the  Enghsh  Chris- 
tians might  buy  it,  and  form  a  college  there.  Kourka 
was  built  by  the  infamous  girl  Hendiga,  whose  histor}' 
IS  related  in  Volney's  Travels,  vol.  ii.  It  is  very  exten- 
sive, and  is  situated  on  the  ridge  of  a  hill,  to  the  north 
west  of  Aintura,  commanding  to  the  west,  a  view  of  the 
sea,  which  is  not  far  distant  from  the-c^^nvent,  with  an 
extensive  prospect.  A  hundred  persons  itK?y  live  in  it 
conveniently.  ^ 

From  thence  I  called  on  Bishop  Hannah  Marone, 
Vicar  of  the  patriarch  of  Antioch  to  the  Maronites,    He 


209 

is  ready  to  send  Maronlte  young  nnen  to  England  to  be 
educated  there.  He  told  me  the  matters  he  would  write 
upon,  and  desired  me  to  send  him  a  plan  of  the  letters, 
and  how  he  should  write  them. 

1  had  often  wished  to  have  an  opportunity  of  arguing 
with  a  popish  Missionary.  I  called,  therefore,  on  Bish- 
op Gandolfi,  Apostolic  Vicar  of  the  Pope,  with  whom 
Pere  Renard,  a  French  priest,  lives ;  he  has  been,  for 
thirty  years,  Missionarius  Apostolicus,  sent  forth  by  the 
Pope  himself,  omnibus  facultatibus  Episcopi.  He  be- 
gan to  open  the  discourse. 

Pere  Renard.  The  endeavour  of  converting  the  Jews 
is  a  vain  thing. 

1.  All  the  prophets,  and  St.  Paul,  contradict  your 
assertion. 

Pere  Renard.  They  shall  be  converted  to  the  Catho- 
lic church,  but  not  to  the  Protestant. 

/.  Neither  to  the  Catholic,  nor  to  the  Protestant 
church,  but  to  Christy  to  him  they  shall  look  and 
mourn. 

Pere  Renard.  (In  a  very  rough  manner.)  We  must 
have  Peter  and  his  successors  for  the  judge  of  our  faith, 
if  we  believe  in  Christ. 

I.  The  Scripture  knows  nothing  of  it, 

Pere  Renard.  Tu  es  Petrus,  et  supra  banc  petram 
sedificabo  ecclesiam  meam. 

/.  And  this  he  did  when  he  opened  his  discourse,  and 
three  thousand  of  his  hearers  received  the  word  of  God 
gladly,  and  were  baptized. 

Pere  Renard  now  tried,  after  the  method  of  the  Je- 
suits, to  frighten  me,  saying,  Mr.  Wolf,  I  should  be 
ashamed  to  come  forward  with  that  splrito  privato  of  the 
Protestants  ;  we  must  have  a  spiritum  communem,  we 
must  not  wish  to  be  wiser  than  so  many  councils  and  so 
many  Padres  :  Do  you  not  know  that  St.  Augustine 
has  said,  '  Evangelio  non  crederem  si  ecclesia  mihi  non 
dixerit  ?' 

/.  I  come  not  forward  with  my  spiritu  privato  ;  I  tell 
you  only  what  the  Scripture  says  ;  the  Scripture  never 
tells  us  that  we  must  have  councils  and  Padres  for  our 

18^ 


210 

guides,  but  says,  First,  "  Search  the  Scriptures,"  John 
V  39.  And  that  the  Scripture  is  sufficient  for  our  sal- 
vation becomes  clear  by  the  words  of  St.  Paul,  2  Taiho- 
thy  iii.  15,  16,  '*  The  Holy  Scriptures  are  able  to  make 
the  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in  C  hrist 
Jesus."  "  All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction, 
for  instruction  in  righteousness."  This  appears  again 
by  St.  Paul,  Romans  xv.  4;  and  by  Psalm  cxix.  105, 
**  Thy  word  is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto 
my  path." 

Pere  Renard.  There  are  many  dubious  points  in 
Scripture  :  what  can  you  do  when  you  meet  with  a  pas- 
sage you  cannot  understand  ^ 

I.  Pray  to  God  for  his  Holy  Spirit ;  and  I  am  en- 
couraged to  do  so,  for  he  saith,  Luke  xi.  13,  "How 
much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him."  And  the  Scripture  is  not 
difficult  to  be  understood  ;  the  Holy  Spirit  itself  tells 
me  so  ;  "  The  word  is  very  nigh  unto  thee,"  and  "  things 
revealed  belong  unto  us,"  Deut.  xxx.  14,  xxix.  29. 

Pere  Renard.  Look  in  my  face,  if  you  are  able. 

I  looked  steadfastly  in  his  face. 

Pere  Renard.  ^1  hen  you  think  that  Luther,  qui  fuit 
impudicus,  vi^ho  married  a  nun,  and  Henry  the  Eighth, 
and  you,  Mr.  Wolf,  are  alone  able  to  explain  Scripture, 
and  all  so  many  Padres  and  bullae  dogmaticae  Summo- 
rum  Pontificum  have  erred  ^ 

I.  Neither  Luther,  who  was  a  holy  man,  (for  mar- 
riage is  no  sin,)  nor  Henry  the  Eighth,  nor  bullae  dog- 
maticoe  Summorum  Pontificum,  are  guides  of  my  faith  ; 
the  Scripture  alone  is  my  guide. 

Pere  Renard.  Is  it  not  an  intolerable  pride,  to  think 
that  God  will  give  you  alone  the  Holy  Spirit  on  account 
of  your  fervent  prayer  ? 

/.  Not  on  account  of  the  fervency  of  my  prayer,  but 
for  the  sake  of  the  name,  and  the  blood  of  Christ. 

Pere  Renard,  That  cursed  spiritus  privatus ! 


211 

/.  I  have  not  told  you  my  private  opinion,  but  what 
the  Scripture  tells  us,  and  you  are  an  unbeliever  if  you 
do  not  receive  it. 

Pere  Renard.  I  shall  now  tell  you  something  which 
you  will  not  be  able  to  answer,  for  my  argument  will 
be  invincible,  and  it  is  as  follows;  'You  Protestants 
say,  that  we  Catholics  may  be  saved  ;  but  we  Catholics 
say,  that  the  Protestants  cannot  be  saved  ;  sliould  you, 
therefore,  not  rather  cast  yourself  into  the  arms  of  a 
church,  where  you  yourself  confess  that  we  may  be  sa- 
ved, than  remain  in  a  church  where  the  way  to  salva- 
tion is  dubious  ?' 

/.  I  know  this  argument,  for  it  is  of  the  time  of  Hen- 
ry the  Fourth,  king  of  France  ;  but  I  confess  that  J  ne- 
ver was  able  to  persuade  myself  of  the  force  of  it;  for, 
First,  the  Protestants  say,  a  Catholic  may  be  saved, 
distinguo  ;  a  Catholic  is  saved  if  he  believes  in  Jesus 
Christ,  concedo ;  but  that  the  Protestants  should  say 
that  a  Catholic  is  saved  without  faith  in  Christ  Jesus, 
nego.  Secondly,  The  assertion  of  the  Catholic,  that  a 
Protestant  is  condemned  if  he  remain  a  Protestant,  dis- 
tinguo ;  without  faith  in  Christ  he  is  condemned,  conce- 
do ;  with  faith  in  Christ  he  is  condemned,  nego;  and 
on  this  very  account  1  cannot  perceive  in  the  least,  the 
force  of  the  argument.  But  I  will  ask  you  a  question, 
When  two  persons  do  not  agree  upon  a  certain  point, 
what  is  to  be  done  ? 

Pere  Renard.  We  must  take  that  point  for  a  basis 
upon  which  both  agree. 

/.  You  believe  in  Scripture,  and  I  believe  in  Scrip- 
ture ;  let  us  take  the  Scriptures  before  us,  and  decide  the 
question. 

Pere  Renard.  But  there  is  one  judge  between  us, 
which  is  the  church  :  Tell  me,  why  will  you  not  become 
a  Roman  Catholic  ^ 

I.  1  cannot  believe  in  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope. 

Pere  Renard  (interrupting  me,)  This  is  not  a  dog- 
ma of  the  church,  I  myself  do  not  believe  it. 

/,  Go  to  Rome,  and  you  will  be  there  considered  as 
temerarius  et  imjpius^  for  the  divines  at  Rome  say  thus, 


212 

'  Non  temere  sed  pie  creditur  infallibililas  papae  in  ca- 
thedra loquentis.' 

Pere  Renard.  The  Propaganda  has  done  this,  not  the 
Pope. 

/.  With  the  approbation  and  sanction  of  the  Pope, 

Pere  Renard.  What  other  doctrine  induces  you  not 
to  believe  in  the  Homan  Catholic  church. 

/.  The  doctrine  of  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
of  saints,  and  of  images. 

Pere  Renard.  We  do  not  worship  the  Virgin  Mary  ; 
but  for  more  convenience  we  go  to  his  mother,  as  the 
English  nation  go  not  immediately  to  their  king,  but  to 
his  ministers. 

/.  I  must  observe,  this  comparison  between  an  earthly 
king  and  the  King  of  kings,  is  most  abominable  and  im- 
pious. 

Pere  Benard.  Omnis  comparatio  claudicat;  but  prove 
it  that  we  worship  the  Virgin. 

/.  *  Salve  regina,  mater  misericordiae,  vita,  dulcedo, 
et  spes  nostra,  salve,  ad  te  clamamus  exules  filii  Hevae, 
ad  te  suspiramus,  gementes,  flentes  in  hac  lacrymarum 
valle,  Eja  ergo  advocata  nostra,  mediatrix  nostra,  illos 
tuos  misericordes  oculos  ad  nos  converte,  et  Jesum  ben- 
edictum,  fructum  ventris  tui,  nobis  post  hoc  exilium  os- 
tende,  o  clemens,  o  pia,  o  dulcis  Virgo  Maria,  tuo  filio 
nos  reconcilia,  tuo  filio  nos  commenda,  tuo  filio  nos  re- 
presenta.'  This  prayer  is  to  be  found  in  your  officio 
diurno,  which  you  are  obliged  to  pray  every  day,  and 
to  omit  which  is  considered  as  peccatum  mortale  ;  and 
the  title  mediatrix  is  in  open  contradiction  with  Scrip- 
ture, which  says,  "  But  one  mediator  between  God  and 
man." 

Bishop  Giovanni  Marone,  Vicar-General  to  the  patri- 
arch, Giovanni  Stambuli,  my  Arabic  master  ;  and  Mon- 
si^nor  Luigi  Gandolfi,  Apostolic  Vicar  to  his  Holiness, 
Pius  the  Seventh,  and  other  persons,  were  present. 
Bishop  Giovanni  Marone  observed  openly,  that  Rome 
commands  too  many  things  to  be  believed.  Giovanni 
Stambuli  told  me  likewise,  openly,  that  the  truth  was  on 


213 

my  side  ;  and  they  observed,  that  Padre  Renardo  never 
answered  one  text  of  Scripture. 

Went  from  Padre  Renardo  to  Monsignor  Hannah 
(Giovanni)  Marone,  he  professed  clearly  to  me,  that  he 
is  delighted  with  the  endeavours  of  the  British  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society,  to  promote  Scriptural  knowledge  in 
the  world. 

Feb.  6.— -Went  from  thence  to  the  convent  of  nuns, 
called  Saidat  Bsliara,  where  I  met  with  two  Melchite 
priests,  who  are  united  with  the  Romish  church  ;  the 
name  of  the  one  is,  Anton  Dakur  Alkalebi,  and  the  name 
of  the  other  is,  Gibrajil  Marrash  Alkalebi ;  the  first  was 
in  possession  of  the  Calcutta  edition  of  the  Arabic  New 
Testament,  which  he  received  from  the  late  Mr.  Burck- 
hardt.  He  told  me  he  had  heard  that  a  new  edition 
was  published,  which  he  wished  to  procure  ;  I  promised 
to  send  him  one.  He  was  so  rejoiced,  that  he  desired 
me  to  write  in  his  book  my  direction,  that  he  might 
write  to  me  if  I  forgot  it.  The  other  joined  with  him  in 
the  desire  of  obtaining  a  New  Testament  in  Arabic,  or 
the  Bible  if  he  could. 

From  thence  1  went  to  the  convent  belonging  to  the 
Melchites,  called  Mar  Michael,  where  I  called  on  the 
patriarch,  (Genadius,  or  Ignatius,)  who  is  eighty-two 
years  of  age,  and  two  years  ago  lost  his  sight.  He  came 
out  of  the  church  guided  by  another.  When  they  told 
him  that  an  Englisli  traveller  was  there  to  call  on  him, 
he  asked  me  kindly  into  his  room.  I  imagined  that  I 
saw  before  me  the  patriarch  Isaac.  1  asked  him,  if  he 
was  contented  ;  he  replied,  "  Praise  be  to  God  ;  every 
one  is  contented,  who  has  God  for  his  Saviour."  He 
is  considered  the  greatest  Arabic  scholar  in  this  coun- 
try. 

I  went  back  to  Ayun  Warga,  in  company  with  Gio- 
vanni (Hannah)  Stambuli.  We  passed  the  female  Ma- 
ronite  convent  Yussuf  Alhusm,  and  after  this,  the  con- 
vent Kreim.  The  grand  Prior,  Pater  Wartanes,  was 
more  warmly  disposed  towards  me,  and  manifested  a 
great  desire  to  establish  an  Armenian  college  in  England, 
another  in  India,  and  a  third  at  Rome,  after  the  plan  of 


214 

that  ofVenedig.  And  the  grand  Prior,  Pater  Wartanes. 
intends,  to  send  the  Armenian  priest.  Padre  Isacco  di 
Aharon,  wIjo  resides  in  the  Armenian  church  at  Leg- 
liorn,  to  England  ;  Pater  Bartolomeon,  with  Frater  Ga- 
Ijriele,  to  India  ;  and  Pater  Daniele,  to  Leghorn.  I  en- 
couraged them  in  this ;  but  at  the  same  time  spoke  to 
them  as  follows  : 

My  brethren,  I  know  that  there  are  divisions  among 
the  Armenians,  not  only  between  the  Roman  Catholic 
and  the  Schismatic  Armenians,  but  likewise  between 
Roman  Catholic  Armenians.  The  Armenian  members 
of  the  Propaganda  at  Rome  persecute  the  zealous,  pious, 
and  gentleman-like  Armenians,  called  Mebitarists,  at 
Venice  ;  and  this  on  acccount  of  a  word  : — They  perse- 
cute those  as  heretics,  as  enemies  of  Christ,  who  pro- 
mote the  word  of  God,  the  word  of  Christ,  witli  such  a 
holy  zeal.  The  Mebitarists  have  established  a  printing 
press  at  Venice,  and  have  already  printed,  not  only 
many  thousand  books  of  several  kinds  about  spiritual 
concerns,  but  likewise  the  word  of  God  itself.  Oh,  my 
dear  brethren,  I  could  now  weep,  when  I  perceive  such 
things  among  Christians  !  My  dear  brethren,  let  Chris- 
tianity not  become  a  reproach  to  the  Mussulman,  Jew, 
and  heathen.  I  know  that  you  here  are  members  of  the 
Romish  Propaganda  ;  I  beg  you  therefore  to  reconcile 
yourselves  with  the  Mebitarists  of  S.  Lazarus  at  Venice. 

Priest  Daniele.  By  God's  grace  we  shall  be  recon- 
ciled with  them,  and  we  shall  go  hand  in  hand  to  promte 
the  light  of  Christianity  throughout  the  world. 

Priest  Wartanes.  1  have  great  desire  to  awaken  my 
nation,  I  hope  you  will  advise  us.  I  told  them  that  1 
should  write  letters  for  them  to  England. 

Pater  Ibrahim  (Abraham,)  a  Maronite  priest,  seventy- 
seven  years  of  age,  visits  me  every  evening;  he  tells  me 
that  the  love  he  feels  towards  me  is  quite  a  miracle,  he 
never  loved  any  body  so  much— he  wept,  and  said,  that 
love  must  be  of  God — -and  I  love  him  indeed  likewise,  as 
a  child  loves  his  father.  He  is  sitting  down  near  me, 
and  sings  hymns  to  Christ  in  the  Syrian  tongue. 

Feb.  7. — I  wrote  at  Ayun  Warga,  a  letter  to  Bishop 


215 

Giovanni  Marone,  and  wrote  to  him  my  whole  plaOj 
with  respect  to  the  establishment  of  a  college  in  Mount 
Lebanon,  and  the  promoting  of  the  word  of  God. 

Feb.  8. — Read  Isaiah  to  chapter  lii.  Several  Maro- 
nite  Shechs  and  priests  again  argued  with  me  several 
hours;  one  of  them  brought  forward  very  silly  questions 
indeed. 

Feb.  9. — The  arguing  with  the  Maronites  was  con- 
tinued. 

Luigi  Assemanni,  pupil  of  the  college  at  Ayun  War- 
ga,  agreed  with  me,  and  pra3^ed  with  me  in  seo^at. 

Feb.  10. — Read  the  Arabic  gospel  with  priest  Hannah 
Stambuli. 

Feb.  II. — I  paid  twenty-eight  piastres  to  the  convent 
for  board,  from  the  4th  of  Feb.  till  the  1 1th  Feb.,  and 
tliirt}^ piasters  to  my  Arabic  master.  Dined  to-day  with 
the  priest  Giovanni  Stambuli,  in  the  house  of  Shech 
Anton  Haisan,  near  Ayun  Warga,  the  Maronite  college 
upon  mount  Lebanon.  I  shewed  them  that  the  Pope  is 
Antichrist,  2  Thess.  ii.  3,  4.  On  my  coming  back  to 
the  college  of  Ayun  Warga,  I  read  the  Prophet  Isaiah 
in  Hebrew  and  Enj2:lish,  and  was  edified  by  meeting  with 
the  words,  "  Cast  ye  up,  cast  ye  up,  prepare  the  way, 
take  up  tlie  stumbling  block  out  of  the  way  of  my  peo- 
ple," 1  saiah  Ivii.  14  ;  for  1  remembered  having  heard  Mr. 
Simeon  preach  on  these  words,  apphing  them  to  the 
conversion  of  the  Jews,  which  will  be  facilitated,  when 
Gentiles  shall  prepare  the  way  by  their  life  and  conver- 
sation. I  remem!3ered  at  the  same  time  those  days,  when 
I  used  to  go  to  Trinity  church,  and  the  hymn  to  Clirist 
had  just  begun.  Now  1  am  surrounded  with  men  who 
would  persuade  me  to  go  back  to  the  Pope.  The  supe- 
rior of  the  convent  at  Ayun  Warga,  told  me  to  day,  that 
the  Maronites  would  make  me  patriarch,  if  I  should  be- 
lieve in  the  Pope  !  , 

Feb.  12. — I  called  again  on  Pater  Wartanes,  grand 
prior  of  the  Armenian  convent,  Kraim,  and  spoke  with 
him  again  on  the  importance  of  their  being  reconciled  to 
their  brethren  in  Venice,   and  the  other  Christians  in 


ai6 

Armenia. .  T  gave  them  letters  for  Henry  Drummond, 
Esq.  for  John  Bayford  Esq.  and  Mr.  Ward  in  India. 

The  gave  me  to  read  the  prayer,  S.  Nierses  Ghela- 
jensis,  patriarch  of  the  Armenians  in  the  second  centu- 
ry :  he  prays : 

"  In  faith,  I  confess,  and  adore  thee,  O  Father,  Son 
and  Holy  Spirit,  Creator  of  angels  and  of  man,  have 
mercy  on  thy  creatures." 

"  In  faith,  I  confess,  and  adore  thee,  O  indivisible 
Light,  most  holy  Trinity,  and  one  God  ;  Creator  of 
light,  and  Destroyer  of  darkness  :  expel  from  my  soul, 
the  darkness  of  sin  and  ignorance:  and  enlighten  my 
soul  in  this  moment,  that  I  may  be  able  to  pray  unto 
thee,  after  thy  good  pleasure,  and  obtain  from  thee  my 
requests  ;  have  mercy  upon  a  great  sinner  like  myself. 

"  Heavenly  Father,  true  God,  thou,  who  hast  sent  thy 
beloved  Son  to  seek  the  lost  sheep,  I  have  sinned  against 
heaven  and  before  thee ;  accept  me,  as  thou  didst  accept 
the  prodigal  son — and  clothe  me  in  the  primitive  dress, 
of  which  I  have  been  deprived,  and  have  mercy  upon 
thy  creatures,  and  upon  myself,  a  miserable  sinner  ! 

"  Son  of  God,  true  God,  who  didst  descend  from  the 
bosom  of  the  Father,  aud  tookest  a  body  upon  th37self 
in  the  holy  Virgin  for  our  salvation,  thou  hast  been  cru- 
cified, and  buried,  and  raised  up  from  the  dead,  and  as- 
cendest  towards  heaven,  I  have  sinned  in  heaven,  and 
before  thee,  remember  me,  as  thou  didst  the  thief  on  the 
cross,  when  thou  shalt  come  in  thy  kingdom,  ^nd 
have  mercy  upon  thy  creatures,  and  upon  mj^self,  a  great 
sinner. 

"  Spirit  of  God,  who  didst  descend  in  the  river  Jor- 
dan, and  hast  enlightened  me  with  the  baptism  of  thy 
holy  fountain,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  before 
thee,  purify  me  again  with  thy  fire  divine,  as  thou  didst 
purify  the  Apostles  with  the  tongues  of  fire.  And  have 
mercy  upon  thy  creatures,  and  upon  me,  a  miserable 
sinner." 

"  Christ,  thou  living  fire,  kindle  in  my  heart  the  fire 
of  thy  love,  which  thou  hast  scattered  upon  earth,  that 
it  may  consume  the  uncleanness  of  my  heart,  and  purify 


217 

my  conscience  ;  and  kindle  in  my  intellect  the  light  of 
thy  knowledge.  And  have  mercy  upon  thy  creatures, 
and  upon  me  a  miserable  sinner." 

They  lent  me  to  read  a  most  excellent  speech  of  S. 
Nierses  Lampronense. 

That  convent  is  likewise  in  possession  of  Dissertazionc 
Polemico  Critica  sopra  due  dubbj  di  coscienza  concer- 
nenti  gli  Arnieni  Cathoiici  sudditi  del  Impero  Oltomano 
presentaia  alia  sacra  congregazione  di  Propaganda  dal 
Marches  Giovanni  de  Serpos,  in  Venezia,  nella  Stam- 
pcria  di  Carlo  Palese  con  publica  approvazione  1783. 
Further,  Optics,  published  by  Padre  Ignazio  dl  Popas, 
1814.  Venezia. 

The  above  mentioned  S.  Nierses  Lampronense  was 
the  sonof  Osslnio  Armeno,  Padron  of  the  casiieof  Lam- 
pron,  Prince  of  Sebasto,  (which  title  was  given  to  him 
by  the  emperor  l^^mmanuel  Comnenus,  born  Aimo  1153;) 
lie  was  created  Archbishop  of  Tarsus  and  Lajnpron,  by 
the  patriarch  Gregory  the  Fourth.  He  also  puplished 
several  works  in  trie  Armenian  tongue. 

Feb,  13. — I  left  the  Maronite  college  Ayun  Warga, 
went  to  Bishop  Giovanni  in  Aintura.  He  told  me  that 
the  patriarch  has  written  to  him,  that  the  chapter  of 
Bishops  are  to  consult  about  the  establishment  of  colle- 
ges. He  has  given  me  a  letter,  by  whicli  he  engages 
himself  to  promote  the  cause  of  the  Jews'  Society. 

Feb.  14. — Arrived  in  the  Maronite  convent,  called 
Dir  Saidet  Alwaize,  near  Suk  Misbah.  The  Pater- 
General  received  me  very  kindly,  and  1  intend  to  take 
lip  my  abode  here  for  some  days. 

Monsignor  Ignatius,  Bishop  of  Zahle,  called  on  me 
at  Aintura,  and  told  me,  that  he  should  be  grateful  for 
an  Arabic  Bible.  Several  Maronites  of  respectability 
liave  promised  to  purchase  Bibles,  and  expressed  a  de- 
sire that  a  college  might  be  established  here  by  the  En- 
glish nation.  I  met  in  the  convent  Alwaize,  a  Maron- 
ite, whom  I  well  knew  when  at  Rome,  his  name  is  Arse- 
nius  Kardaghi. 

Feb.  15. — Shech  Zaitar,  of  the  noble  family  of  Gha- 
zen ;  Shech  Nufal,  of  the  same  family,    both  residing. 

19 


218 

at  Aikaliat,  and  Shech  Wafa,  son  of  Shecli  Sbiban,  re« 
siding  at  Ajaltun,  supped  with  me.  They  told  me  they 
would  consult  together  about  the  English  nation  being 
permitted  to  establish  a  college  upon  mount  Lebanon. 

Feb.  16. — Received  letters  from  Messrs.  Abbott  and 
Burt,  from  Beyrout,  and  finished  in  the  convent  at  San 
Lawiza,  the  whole  prophet  Isaiah  in  Hebrew  and  En- 
glish. 

Feb.  17. — Visited  to-day  the  convent  called  Mar 
Elias  Alras,  where  the  Maronite  nuns  are ;  the  Mudab« 
birs  (guardians)  of  the  convent,  Kas  Matia,  Mudabbir, 
and  Kas  Bernardus,  Mudabbir,  had  the  kindness  to 
show  me  the  whole  convent.  After  this  1  called  on 
priest  Anton  Dakur,  in  the  convent  of  Greek  nuns,  at 
Dir  Albshara.  where  I  met  again  Monsignor  Ignatius, 
Bishop  of  Zahle,  near  Balbeck.  with  the  priests  Petrus 
Tinawi  Halebi ;  with  Michael  Antoni  Halebi,  and  Pau- 
lus  Kasia  Halebi,  all  monks  of  the  convent  called  Mar 
Michael  Alsuk,  who  came  on  purpose  to  meet  me,  and 
to  request  Bibles  and  New  Testaments  in  Arabic.  Bish- 
op Ignatius  wishes  to  correspond  with  me  continually. 
They  introduced  me  to  the  Prioress  of  the  nuns,  Euphe- 
mia.  Prioress  of  the  Greek  Catholic  nuns  in  Dir  Alb- 
shara, upon  mount  Kasrwan. 

These  nuns  follow  the  rule  of  St.  Basilius  the  Great ; 
they  made  me  a  present  of  the  picture  of  that  saint.  I 
promised  them  Bibles  and  New  Testaments,  which  gave 
them  great  joy.  All  the  nuns  crowded  round  their  Pri- 
oress to  look  at  me.  They  promised  to  pray  for  the 
success  of  my  mission.  Brother  Ambrosius.  of  the  con- 
vent of  Mar  Lawiza,  was  my  companion  to  those  con- 
vents, and  to  the  house  of  Yussuf  Karbash,  at  Suk  Al- 
masback. 

Monsignor  Ignatius  Ujuri,  Bishop  of  Zahle,  near 
Balbeck,  and  the  Right  Reverend  Ignatius  Serkis  (Ser- 
gius)  General  of  the  whole  order  of  St.  Maron,  in  mount 
Lebanon,  residing  in  the  Maronite  convent  Saidat  Lu- 
wiza,  assured  me  that  several  Jewish  families  are  resi- 
ding at  Dir  Alkamir,  the  capital  town  upon  mount  Leb- 
anon, and  the  residence  of  the  prince  (Emir  Bashir)  of 


219 

mount  Lebanon.  Although  I  was  already  at  Dir  Alka- 
mir,  I  thought  it  worth  while  to  return  there. 

Feb,  18. — I  hired  two  mules,  and  left  the  kind  monks 
at  Said  Luvviza,  and  set  off  with  my  servant  for  Dir  Al- 
kamir.  I  slept  the  first  night  in  the  Catholic  Greek 
convent,  called  Dir  Mar  Antun.  They  told  me  that  I 
should  be  condemned,  on  account  of  my  disbelief  in  the 
Pope. 

Feb. 19. — I  arrived  in  the  evening  at  Dir  Alkamlr, 
and  lodged  again  in  the  Maronite  convent.  Shech  Yus- 
suf  Basilius,  a  Maronite,  and  commander  of  the  soldiers, 
entered  the  room.  Priest  Abdallah  asked  me  whether 
1  believed  in  the  Pope  ?  I  replied,  Not  at  all,  but  only 
in  Christ.  1  was  surprised  to  hear  Shech  Yussuf  Basi- 
lius making  the  observation  that  my  faith  agreed  with 
the  Gospel,  and  that  the  Gospel  does  not  command  faith 
in  a  Pope.  I  then  preached  the  Gospel  to  the  Superior 
Serkis  (GermanasJ  and  to  all  present.  I  told  them, 
that  Christ  never  thought  of  giving  to  Peter  the  dignity 
of  high  priest.  Peter  himself  never  claimed  that  office, 
when  the  high  priest  at  Jerusalem  examined  the  apostles 
about  the  doctrine  they  preached,  and  put  them  in 
prison.  Every  one  of  them  replied  :  *'  We  are  notable 
to  answer  you,"  and  Shech  Yussuf  Basilius  exclaimed  : 
"  You  are  perfectly  right  in  all  you  have  said."  1  ask- 
ed Shech  Yussuf  Basilius,  whether  he  is  acquainted 
with  the  Jews  residing  in  this  place  ^  He  said  that  he 
was  intimate! i^  acquainted  with  the  rich  Jew,  Bahur  Ah- 
ran  Arabi.  I  desired  him  to  introduce  me  to  him,  which 
he  promised  me  to  do  the  next  day. 

Feb.  20. — Shech  Yussuf  Basilius  introduced  me  to 
the  Jew  Bahur  Ahron  Arabi.  T  brought  with  me  the 
Hebrew  Bible.  1  met  another  respectable  Jew,  called 
Saul  Kohen  Arzi.  I  asked  them  how  many  Jews  were 
residing  at  Dir  Alkamir;  they  replied,  seven  families. 
J  asked  them  farther,  how  long  Jews  have  resided  in 
this  place  :  they  said,  more  than  300  years.  They 
were  rejoiced  to  hear  me  talk  in  the  Hebrew  tongue. 
Saul  Kohen  Arzi  showed  me  the  Hebrew  New  Testa- 
ment, which  was  published  by  the  London  Society,  for 


220 

promoting  Christianity  among  the  Jews.  I  was  sur- 
prised to  find  this  book  among  them,  and  I  asked  them 
how  they  got  it.  They  said  an  English  gentleman  at 
Saide  some  time  back  distributed  these  boous,  and  a 
Jew  at  Saide  sent  one  of  them  to  Dir  Alkamir.  Saul 
and  Barhour  observed,  they  had  read  the  book  several 
times,  and  were  persuaded  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  ; 
they  desired  me  to  show  them  some  passages  of  the  Old 
Testament,  which  foretold  that  the  Messiah  was  to  be 
the  Son  of  God.  I  showed  Psalm  ii.  and  Isaiah  ix. 
Saul  referred  to  Matthew  xxiii.  24 — 32,  and  said,  the 
answer  that  Christ  gave  to  the  Sadducees  was  most  ex- 
cellent. Saul  observed,  liowever,  that  he  believed  in 
the  restoration  of  all  things,  that  the  condemned  in  hell 
shall  come  forth,  and  acknowledge  Jehovah  as  their 
God.  1  abstained  from  discoursing  on  this  subject. 
He  desired  an  explanation  of  Matthew  x.  32 — 30  ;  I 
gave  it  to  him.  according  to  my  little  abilities.  Barhour 
t'isked,  whether  Jesus  Christ  would  come  again,  and 
whether  they  should  be  beloved  of  God.  1  said,  He 
himself  \ms  promised  it,  and  that  Jews  and  Gentiles  shall 
be  united  together  as  one  people,  "  Then  thou  shalt  see 
Siudflow  together,  and  thy  heart  shall  fear,  and  be  en- 
larged, because  the  abundance  of  the  sea  shall  be  con- 
verted unto  thee,  the  forces  of  the  Gentiles  shall  come 
unto  thef',  and  Gentiles  shall  come  to  thy  light,  and  kings 
to  the  brightness  of  thy  rising."  Barhour  observed, 
very  justly,  that  the  Christians  only  could  be  included 
amongst  those  Gentiles  who  should   be  beloved  of  God. 

Feb.  21. — I  left  Dir  Alkamir,  and  slept  the  first  night 
in  the  private  house  of  aMaronite. 

Feb  22. — I  arrived  in  the  poor  convent.  Mar  Anto- 
nius  Maroni,  five  English  miles  distant  from  Bej^rout. 

Feb,  23. — I  arrived  at  Beyrout,  and  was  kindly  re- 
ceived by  the  English  Consul,  and  was  much  surprised 
not  to  find  my  friend  Burt  there  ;  upon  enquiring  where 
he  was,  I  was  much  amused  to  find,  that  hearing  I  was 
in  great  want  of  a  pair  of  trowsers,  he  had  immediately 
posted  off  with  his  gun  and  dogs  over  the  mountains  to 
the  convent  of  Said  Liuvisa,  having  previously  strapped 


221 

a  pair  on  his  back  to  supply  my  need,  and  not  finding 
me  there,  he  had  gone  up  as  far  as  Aintnra,  where  he 
heard  I  had  spent  some  days,  and  finding  I  had 
evacuated  it,  had  returned  in  a  most  dreadful  storm  of 
rain  to  Beyrout,  where  I  had  the  pleasure  of  not  only 
seeing  him,  but  of  praying,  reading,  and  conversing 
with  him  on  serious  topics. 

Feb.  25. — I  spoke  with  Mr.  Aubin,  and  Mr.  Boliga- 
ni,  a  French  merchant,  residing  in  Beyrout,  respecting 
the  Jews'  Society.  1  bought  sIk  Arabic  New  Testa- 
ments, and  six  Arabic  Psalters  ;  the  former  at  six  pias- 
tres of  Syria  each,  and  the  latter  at  two  piastres  each 
Psalter.     1  disposed  of  them  in  the  convents  afterwards. 

Feb.  26. — Prepared  for  setting  out  to  Jerusalem. 

Feb.  27. — Left  Beyrout ;  slept  at  Nabi  Jonas. 

Feb.  28. — iVrrived  at  Saida,  (Zidon,)  and  slept  in  a 
village  situated  between  Saida  and  Sur. 

March  1. — Arrived  in  Burgmin  Alshirfi. 

March  2. — Arrived  at  St,  Jean  d'Acre  ;  met  with  my 
friend  Mr.  M'Michael.  The  Jews  in  this  place  are  in 
great  distress.  Met  again  with  Mr.  Amzalack.  He 
gave  me  interesting  accounts  of  the  Jews  at  Safet.  Rab- 
bi Simon  Bar  Johahi,  was  born  at  Bukkhair,  near  Safet, 
and  is  buried  at  Meron,  near  Safet. 

Mr.  James  M'Michael,  an  English  gentleman,  asso- 
ciate to  Mr.  Abbott,  wrote  to  me  the  following  letter, 
which  he  permitted  me  to  send  to  my  friends  in  England. 

Dear  Sir,  St.  Jean  D'Acre,  March  3,  1822. 

Esteeming  the  members  who  compose  the  Societv  for 
the  distribution  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  reverencing 
the  motives  by  whicii  they  are  actuated,  I  shall  think 
myself  truly  happy  if  I  can,  in  any  way,  assist  their 
views  in  this  part  of  the  country,  where,  indeed,  the 
light  of  the  Gospel  is  but  too  much  needed. 

Begging  you  to  make  use  of  me  to  forward  so  desira- 
ble an  object,  and  assuring  you  of  my  sincerest  friend- 
ship and  consideration,  I  have  the  honour  to  be, 

Your's,  &ic. 

British  Consulate.  Jas.  M'Michael, 

19* 


222 

March  3. — Mr.  Amzalack  has  introduced  me  to  sev- 
eral Jews  from  Safet,  who  received  me  very  kindly,  and 
were  surprised  lo  learn  from  me,  that  rabbi  Israel  Nah- 
man,  rabbi  of  Safet,  died  at  Gibraltar.  They  asked 
me  whether  it  was  true  that  he  turned  Christian.  I  re- 
plied, that  it  was  no  such  thing,  for  he  died  as  a  Jew,  in 
the  house  of  Nahum,  a  Jew,  at  Gibraltar.  They  then 
manifested  their  surprise  at  his  having  sent  tracts  of  the 
London  Society  to  Safet,  with  his  name  written  upon 
them — a  circumstance  which  surprised  me  likewise 
These  are  the  names  of  the  chief  Jews  of  Safet,  to  whom 
1  was  introduced  by  Mr.  Amzalack,  rabbi  Gerson  Mar- 
gulius,  and  rabbi  Mose  Menariuski.  Rabbi  Gerson  ob- 
served, that  rabbi  Israel  Nahman  must  have  left  behind 
him  an  ocean  of  money. 

March  4. — The  Jew  Amzalack,  who  is  a  free-mason, 
introduced  me  to  the  learned  Jew,  rabbi  Zabatai,  to 
converse  with  him  on  the  subject  of  religion.  The  con- 
versation lasted  more  than  four  hours,  without  my  being 
able  to  gain  ground  with  him  ;  for  after  having  proved 
that  Messiah  must  have  been  already  arrived,  he  would 
not  permit  me  to  refer  to  the  New  Testament,  for  he 
said,  every  Jew  is  excommunicated  who  reads  it.  But 
I  was,  notwithstanding  his  prejudices,  obliged  to  admire 
the  candour  with  which  that  learned  man  argued,  and 
even  Mr.  M'Michael  admired  the  meekness  of  rabbi  Za- 
batai. 

Mr.  Amzalack  has  given  me  letters  of  introduction 
for  a  rabbi  at  Jerusalem.  He  informed  me  that  the 
Jews  at  Safet  and  Jerusalem  are  still  divided  into  Feru^ 
shim,  (Pharasees)  and  Sadiikim,  (Saddusees,)  which  lat- 
ter name  they  give  to  the  Caraite  Jews  at  Jerusalem, 
and  Hasidim,  those  who  live  in  strict  communion  with 
God.  Ferushim  (Pharisees)  are  those  who  understand 
the  Talmud  completely.  Is  not  the  same  distinction 
made  among  Roman  Catholics  at  Rome .''  Teologi 
(Ferushim)  who  understand  Thomas  ab  Aquinas,  i  qua- 
l\  sanno  argomentare  con  molta  forza-  Ascetici  (Santi) 
^vho  correspond   with  those  of  Hasidim  ;  i  quali  non 


223 

sono  dotti,  ma  osservano  bene  la  regoia  monastica,  i 
quali  digiunano  molto. 

March  5. — Prepared  myself  for  m^' journey  to  Jeru- 
salem, 

March  6. — Argued,  for  the  second  time,  with  rabbi 
Zabatai,  and  gained  more  ground  than  the  first  time, 
but  was  obliged  to  leave  Acre,  and  sailed  with  a  ship  to 
Jaffa. 

March  7. — Arrived  in  Jaffa,  and  was  very  hospitably 
received  by  Mr.  Damiani,  the  British  Consul ;  was  very 
much  distressed  that  my  Bibles  from  Cairo,  and  the  fir- 
man from  Constantinople  had  not  arrived  ;  wrote  to  Mr. 
Lee,  and  Mr.  Fieri. 

To  John  Bayford,  and  Henry  Drummond,  Esqs. 

Dear  Friends, 
I  SEND  to  you  this  Journal,  with  the  original  letters 
of  Bishop  Hannah  ^larone,  and  Bishop  Luigi  Gandolfi, 
by  which  you  may  perceive  what  may  be  done  tor  the 
kingdom  of  God  !  Mr.  Mackworth  will  tell  you,  that  I 
am  now,  alas,  destitute  of  Bibles  and  Testaments  ;  the 
Lord,  I  hope,  vvill  provide  again.  The  British  Consul 
at  Jaffa  accompanies  me  to  Jerusalem,  and  will  intro- 
duce me  to  several  Jews  and  Christians  of  that  place. 

J.  Wolf. 

Jerusalem,  March  J  2,   1822,  in  the 
Magnificent  Armenian  Convent, 

Dear  Friends, 
You  will  have  received  most  probably  the  Journal 
from  the  9th  of  December,  1821,  till  to  March  6,  1822, 
which  I  sent  to  you  from  Beyrout,  by  the  way  of  Alex- 
andria, and  by  means  of  Mr.  Berggren,  chaplain  to  the 
Swedish  Ambassador  at  Constantinople,  and  some  days 
ago,  by  Major  Mackworth,  with  wimm  I  met  at  Jaffa. 
I  mentioned  to  you  in  my  last  Journal,  that  I  remained 
five  weeks  in  several  convents  of  Maronites  in  the  moun- 
tains of  Lebanon,  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  the  Ara- 


224 

bic  tongue,  that  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  Maro- 
nite  Bishop  Hannah  Marone'at  Aintura,  who  is  at  the 
same  time  Vicar  General  to  the  Patriarch  of  the  Maro- 
nites,  and  that  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  having  acquired 
the  confidence  and  friendship  of  that  Bishop,  so  that  he 
wrote  to  the  Patriarch,  in  order  that  the  uninhabited 
convent  Kurka  may  be  left  to  the  disposition  of  Henry 
Drummond,  Esq.  and  John  Bayford,  Esq.  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  college;  and  Bishop  Hannah  JVlarone  is 
disposed  to  promote  the  cause  of  the  British  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society,  and  that  of  the  London  Society  for 
promoting  Christianity  among  the  Jews.  The  Lord 
has  blessed  with  the  same  success  my  conversation  with 
the  Bishop  of  Zaph,  Ignatius  Ujuri.  The  prior  of  the 
Armenian  convent  Karaim,  has  sent  a  letter  to  Henry 
Drummond,  Esq.  and  to  John  Bayford,  Esq.  and  anoth- 
er one  to  the  East  Indies,  to  the  Rev. Thomason. 

You  will  find  in  my  Journal,  which  Major  Digby 
Mackworth  will,  when  God  pleaseth,  deliver  you,  seven 
loose  papers,  containing  the  letters  of  several  bishops. 
You  will  be  pleased  likewise  to  learn  by  the  same  Jour- 
nal, that  I  went  to  Dir  Alkamir,  where  seven  Jewish 
families  reside.  I  talked  with  the  Jews  Bahur  and  Saul, 
who  are  in  the  possession  of  a  Hebrew  New  Testament, 
published  by  the  London  Society.  1  conversed  with 
both  upon  Jesus  my  Lord,  and  I  trust  and  hope,  judg- 
ing according  to  the  observation  and  profession  those 
two  Jews  made,  that  they  have  been  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  the  arguments  I  brought  forth  ;  and  I  hope  the 
same  of  Simon  Zedaka,  a  Jewish  merchant,  residing  at 
Sanda.  The  two  Jews  at  Beyrout,  who  have  been  se- 
cretly baptized  by  Mr.  Tschudy,  continue  to  pass  out- 
wardly as  Jews,  and  one  of  them  is  fallen  back  into  Ju- 
daism, and  has  denied  Christ  in  the  presence  of  the  con- 
vert Abraham.  I  said  to  Israel,  that  he  should  come  to 
Jerusalem  and  assist  me  in  my  work^  an  undertaking  in 
which  he  fears  to  embark.  I  shall  therefore  remain 
faithful  to  the  rule  1  have  laid  down,  never  to  baptize 
one  who  does  not  publicly  profess  the  name  of  Christ. 


225 

March  0. — At  five  o'clock  in  tlie'evening,  I  arrived  in 
the  neiglibourliood  of  Jerusale'Ti.  As  soon  as  1  was  in  it, 
I  took  out  my  hymn  book  and  read  : 

"  For  Sion's  sake  I  will  not  rest, 

I  will  not  liolcl  my  peace, 

Until  Jerusalem  be  blest, 

And  Judah  dwell  at  ease. 

Until  her  righteousness  return, 

As  day-break  after  night ; 

The  liimp  ofher  salvation  burn, 

"With  everlastins:  light. 

The  Gentiles  shall  her  glory  see/'  k.c- 

When  T  arrived  before  the  convent  of  Terra  Santa,  Mr. 
Geihin,  an  English  traveller,  whose  acquaintance  I  had 
formed  when  at  ('airo,  came  suddenly  with  marks  of 
sincere  joy,  and  shook  hands  witli  me.  Mr.  Carne,  my 
fellow  traveller  to  mount  Sinai,  was  in  the  holy  sepul- 
chre, listening  to  the  prayers  of  the  monks.  I  saw  him 
the  next  morning,  and  our  meeting  was  not  less  joyful 
than  that  with  Mr.  Gethin. 

I  slept  the  first  and  second  night  in  the  convent  of 
Terra  Santa,  and  the  next  morning  visited  the  holy  se- 
pulchre in  company  with  my  friends,  it  is  supposed, 
that  the^t  was  the  spot  where  the  Lord  from  heaven  did 
sleep.  Come,  see  the  place  where  the  Lord  lay  ;  he  is 
not  here,  for  he  is  risen  as  he  said.  Prayers  are  still 
here  ollered  u\)^  but,  alas,  not  in  peace  and  in  union,  as 
Christians  ought  to  pray.  The  monks  of  Terra  Santa 
boast  themselves  that  they  have  got  a  firman  from  the 
grand  Sultan,  which  places  them  the  first  on  the  da^s 
of  solemnity,  to  perform  their  functions  near  the  sepul- 
clire  ;  the  Greek  Christians  are  in  possession  of  a  like 
firman  from  the  Porte,  to  pray  before  the  tomb  after  the 
function  of  the  Frank  monks  is  over.  Thus  Christians 
are  not  ashamed  to  petition  aMahomedan  court  for  per- 
mission to  pray.  Blood  of  Cliristians  v»as  shed  by  Chris- 
tians themselves  at  the  tomb  of  their  Saviour,  in  the 
very  presence  of  Mussidinen  ,  and  Mussulmen  are  obli- 


226 

ged  to  make  peace  between  Christians  and  Christians — 
and  Mussulmen  are  obliged  to  uphold  peace  among 
Christians  by  the   sword. 

The  description  1  have  given  you  here,  is  not  taken 
from  my  own  fancy,  but  given  to  me  by  the  monks  of 
the  several  denominations  themselves.  The  Lord  has 
ceased  from  the  cities  of  Judah,  and  from  the  streets  of 
Jerusalem,  the  voice  of  mirth,  and  the  voice  of  gladness, 
the  voice  of  the  bridegroom,  and  the  voice  of  the  bride. 
1  took  a  view  on  the  same  day,  in  company  with  the 
abovementioned  English  friends,  of  the  valley  of  Hiu- 
nom,  Josaphat,  and  mount  Sion. 

March  10. — I  called,  in  company  with  Mr.  Gethin 
and  Mr.  Carne,  on  the  patriarch  of  the  Armenian  nation 
who  resides  in  his  magnificent  convent.  We  were  ex- 
ceedingly well  received,  and  after  I  had  delivered  the 
letter  of  introduction  with  which  Mr.  Boggos,  the  first 
interpreter  to  the  Pacha  of  Egypt,  had  favoured  me  be- 
fore my  departure  from  that  country,  1  began  to  preach 
to  them  the  necessity  of  peace  among  Christians,  and 
made  them  acquainted  with  the  intentions,  labours,  and 
progress  of  the  Bible  Society.  I  told  them  clearly 
that  I  came  to  that  city  not  only  with  the  intention  of 
preaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ  to  the  Jews,  but  likewise 
to  persuade  the  Christians  of  the  several  denominations 
to  enter  into  a  correspondence  with  the  Christians  of 
England,  on  the  subject  of  vital  Christianity,  and  I  de- 
sired the  patriarch  himself  to  give  the  first  example,  by 
writing  a  letter  to  you  and  Mr.  Bayford,  which  he  gra- 
ciously  condescended  to  promise  me  to  do.  The  patri- 
arch and  the  other  Armeniait  bishops  and  doctors  then 
offered  me  a  room  in  their  convent,  which  I  accepted 
without  the  least  hesitation. 

March  11. — Mr.  Leutzen,  a  German,  came  back 
from  BeihL  hem  to  Jerusalem,  and  delivered  me  the 
long  and  anxiously  desired  firman  from  the  great  Sultan 
at  Constantinople,  wbich  the  Rt.  Hon.  Lord  Strangford 
procured  me  at  the  recommendation  of  Messrs.  Salt 
and  Lee  in  Egypt.  The  governors  of  every  place  are 
BOW  obliged  to  give  me  a  janisary,  and  I  am  permitted 


227 

to  travel  throughout  the  Turkish  empire,  "and  must  be 
treated  as  a  personage  (according  to  the  expression  of 
the  firman)  ofhigh  distinction. 

March  12. — 1  called  on  the  amiable  and  zealous 
Christian,  the  Rev.  Procopius,  undoubtedly  the  most 
active,  most  sincere,  and  most  dlsinierested  promoter 
of  the  cause  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society 
in  this  part  of  the  world. — After  I  had  acquainted  him 
with  the  object  of  my  mission,  and  had  given  him  a 
sketch  of  the  history  of  my  life,  he  observed,  '  You  have 
reason  to  give  God  double  thanks,  for  you  have  expe- 
rienced a  two-fold  grace.  The  first  grace  he  bestowed 
on  you  was,  that  he  brought  you  out  of  darkness  to  his 
marvellous  light,  to  the  knowledge  of  his  only  begotten 
Son  ;  and  the  second  grace  was  that  he  enabled  you  to 
renounce  all  worldly  expectations,  and  to  travel  from 
city  to  city,  from  land  to  land,  from  river  to  river,  and 
from  sea  to  sea,  for  the  promotion  of  the  knowledge  of 
that  Saviour.'  Jf  I  had  not  seen  Procopius  and  arch- 
bishop Minasia,  I  should  have  thought  T  had  reason  to 
exclaim  with  Jeremy  the  prophet,  '  Run  ye  to  and  fro 
through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and  see  now;  and 
know,  and  seek  in  the  broad  places  thereof,  if  ye  can 
find  a  man,  if  there  be  any  that  executeth  judgment,  that 
seeketh  tiie  truth,'  but  we  perceive  that  the  Lord  of  Hosts 
has  left  a  remnant  at  Jerusalem.  Procopius  promised 
to  assist  me  with  Bibles  and  New  Testaments. 

We  afterwards  visited  the  tomb  of  Lazarus  at  Betha- 
ny, nigh  unto  Jerusalem,  about  fifteen  furlongs  off.  I 
read  the  whole  history.  That  the  sisters  of  Lazarus  sent 
unto  him,  and  told  him.  He  whom  he  loved  was  sick  ; 
and  when  he  heard  that,  he  said,  This  sickness  is  not 
unto  death,  but  for  the  glory  of  God.  And  Lazarus 
slept,  and  he  went  to  awake  him  out  of  sleep.  (Lord, 
my  poor  soul  sleepeth,  come  to  awake  her  out  of  sleep.) 
Jesus  wept — and  he  cried  \a  ith  a  loud  voice,  Lazarus, 
come  forth  !  And  he  that  was  dead  came  forth.  Lord, 
cry  with  a  loud  voice,  Wolf,  come  forth  ! 

From  thence  Messrs.  C'arne,  Gethin,  and  I,  went  to 
Gethsemane,  where  my  Saviour  prayed,  where  he  began 


228 

to  be  sorrowful  and  very  heavy  ;  where  his  soul  was  ex- 
ceeding sorrowful  even  unto  death  ;  where  he  fell  on  his 
face,  and  prayed,  saying.  "  O  my  Father,  if  it  be  possi- 
ble let  tliis  cup  pass  from  me ;  nevertheless,  not  as  I 
will,  but  as  thou  wilt."  And  there  it  was,  that  his  disci- 
ples were  not  able  to  watch  with  him  one  hour;  they 
were  not  able  to  watch  and  pray,  that  they  migiit  not 
enter  into  temptation.  O  Lord,  how  often  is  this  the 
case  with  me  ;  how  often  didst  thou  come  unto  me,  and 
tlrou  didst  find  me  asleep  and  my  eyes  heavy. 

On  our  return  we  visited  Beihphage  nigh  unto  the 
mount  of  Olives,  whence  the  Lord  sent  two  disciples  to 
bring  unto  him  the  ass  tied,  and  a  colt  with  her,  tliat  it 
might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  the  prophet, 
saying.  Tell  ye  the  daughter  of  Zion,  Behold,  thy  King 
comeih  unto  thee,  meek,  and  sitting  upon  an  ass,  and  a 
colt  the  foal  of  an  ass  ;  and  1  followed  my  Saviour  to 
Jerusalem,  through  that  gate  which  he  passed,  when  the 
great  multitude  spread  their  garments  in  the  way,  and 
cried,  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David. 

March  1 1. — 1  took  my  lodging  in  the  Armenian  con- 
vent, where  a  \ery  fine  divan  was  prepared  for  my 
abode.  I  met  there  with  an  Armenian  monk,  Padre 
Paolo  Tiutiungi,  who  is  a  gentlemanly- like  man,  and  of 
considerable  talents  ;  he  lived  for  some  time  in  the  house 
of  the  Armenian  deputy,  Signor  Paolo  Sebastiano.  1 
think  I  saw  him  at  Rome  ;  he  became,  alas,  acquainted, 
when  at  Paris,  with  the  writings  of  Jean  Jacques  Rous- 
seau, and  Voltaire,  which  made  him  a  complete  sceptic. 
He  soon  opened  his  mind  to  me,  and  we  had  a  coversa- 
lion  ;  First,  About  the  necessity  of  a  revelation  ;  sec- 
ondly. The  truth  and  evidence  of  the  revelation  of  God 
in  the  Bible.  He  seemed  to  be  convniced  of  the  truth 
of  what  I  said,  and  promised  not  only  to  read  the  Bible 
diligently,  but  desired,  likewise,  to  be  received  as  a 
member  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society';  he 
then  talked  on  the  subject  of  that  Society,  with  the  Ar- 
menian Archbishop,  who  is  vicar-general  to  the  patri- 
arch Gabriel,  at  Jerusalem.     They  both  wrote  a^Jetter 


'229 

to  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  according  to 
my  desire. 

March  12. — 1  sent  the  dragoman  of  the  Armenian 
convent  to  a  Caraite  Jew  with  m}'  compliments,  and  re- 
quested him  to  drink  coffee  with  me.  The  Caraite, 
Saadiah,  called  immediately.  Although  he  is  able  to 
converse  in  Hebrew,  he  does  not  read  it.  I  told  him  I 
lieard  at  Acri  that  the  Caraites  were  the  followers  of 
Sadok,  (Sadducees  ;)  he  replied,  '  God  forbid  ;  how  can 
we  be  Sadducees,  whilst  we  believe  in  Moses  and  the 
prophets  ?"  I  asked  him  whether  they  believe  in  the  re- 
surrection of  the  dead  ?  He  said,  '  Most  surely.' 

/.  How  many  families  of  Caraites  are  here  ? 

Saadiah  Only  three  families  :  we  are  so  much  op- 
pressed here,  that  man3^of  our  brethren  have  gone  ei- 
ther to  Egypt,  or  to  Kalaa  in  the  Crimea,  where  our 
brethren  live  in  peace. 

1.  Are  you  still  in  correspondence  with  your  brethren 
in  the  Crimea,  and  Egypt  ? 

Saadiah.  Continually,  and  all  of  us  at  Jerusalem 
have  been  at  Kalaa,  ai)d  have  taken  our  wives  from 
thence. 

/.  How  many  years  since  have  you  been  in  the  Cri- 
mea ? 

Saadiah.  Five  years  ago  1  left  Kalaa.  I  lived  there 
more  than  twenty  years  ;  1  knew  the  Emperor  Alexan- 
der well ;  O  that  he  may  live  in  prosperity  many  years: 
he  is  our  great  protector  ;  and  Catherine  lierself  did  not 
like  the  Rabbinist  Jews,  but  she  was  a  friend  of  the  Ca- 
raites, for  we  sent  her  a  letter  of  great  wisdom. 

/.   Did  you  see  any  English  gentlemen  at  Kalaa? 

Saadiah.  There  came  three,  one  of  them  was  a  great 
and  wise  man,  and  understood  Hebrew  very  well  :  the/ 
brought  books  with  them  which  we  did  not  accept,  but 
some  have  read  them. 

/.  Will  you  introduce  me  to  your  Rabbi,  and  shew 
me  3'our  synagogue  ? 

Saadiah.  With  great  pleasure. 

1.  How  many  Caraites  may  there  be  in  the  whole 
world  : 

20 


1J30 

Saadiah,  1  cannot  say,  but  there  are  some  thousands 
in  the  Crimea  and  Polonia  ;  there  are  some  few  at  Da- 
mascus, and  a  thousand  Caraites  in  Egypt — there  are 
Caraites  in  India,  and  in  the  land  of  Cush,  (Abyssinia,) 
but  with  the  latter  we  have  never  been  in  correspon- 
dence— if  you  should  go  to  Abyssinia,  we  will  give  you 
letters  for  them,  to  hear  about  their  state. 

I.  Who  was  the  founder  of  the  Caraites? 

Saadiah.  The  founder  of  the  Caraites  was  Anftn,  in 
the  captivity  of  Babylon. 

March  14. — I  called  again  on  Procopius ;  he  gave 
me  a  quantity  of  Greek,  Hebrew,  Syriac,  and  Arabic 
New  Testaments,  and  will  recommend  me  to  a  clever 
Greek  master.  T  was  again  very  much  edified  by  his 
conversation :  he  spoke  with  high  regard  of  Levi  Par- 
sons, and  told  me  that  that  gentleman  went  every  day 
among  the  Jews,  until  he  was  obliged  to  leave  Jerusa- 
lem. I  was  finally  introduced  to  the  synagogue  of  the 
Caraite  Jews  by  Saadiah  and  their  rabbi  Beracha.  I 
opened  the  prophet  Isaiah,  and  explained  to  them  the 
xiiith  chapter,  and  said  to  them,  that  the  whole  chapter 
has  no  sense,  if  it  is  not  applied  to  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  Another  young  Carite  was  present  who  knew 
the  Rev.  Lewis  Way,  when  at  Kalaa :  Saadiah's  wife, 
called  Esther,  likewise  knew  him.  They  have  in  their 
synagogue  five  manuscripts  of  the  Torah,  and  beside 
this,  a  most  beautiful  manuscript  of  the  whole  of  the  Old 
Testament,  written  with  golden  initial  letters —this 
manuscript  is  five  hundred  years  old. 

Rabbi  Beracha  told  me  that  I  might  come  to  him 
every  Sabbath  and  read  Hebrew  with  him.  I  have  sold 
to-day,  ten  Arabic  psalters  to  Signor  Karabert,  drago- 
man of  the  Armenian  convent,  for  ten  piastres — made  a 
present  of  three  Arabic  Psalters  to  three  poor  Christians 
—  a  present  of  a  Greek  New  Testament  to  Pater  Paolo. 

The  Bible  Society  of  Malta  sent,  two  years  ago,  fifty 
Arabic  Psalters  to  Mr.  Antonio  Damiani,  British  Con- 
sul at  Jafiia,  who  had  not  sold  one  single  copy  of  them  ; 
when  Mr.  Mackworth  and  I  observed  it,  we  desired  him 
to  deliver  those  Psalters  to  my  charge ;  as  soon  as  he 


231 

consigned  them  to  me,  persons  desired  to  buy,  and  we 
sold  three  copies,  and  I  have  now  sold  thirteen.  I  am 
interrupted  by  a  priest  of  the  Jacobites  from  Syria,  who 
are  likewise  called,  "Children  of  Israel:"  he  has  writ- 
ten his  name  with  his  own  hand — his  name  is  Raba 
Tuma.  They  have  here  a  convent,  in  which  five  or  siK 
of  them  live  together:  a  bishop  is  their  head.  I  was 
rejoiced  with  the  simplicity  of  that  Syrian  Christian; 
he  read  the  Syriac  New  Testament  with  great  fluency, 
and  he  regretted  that  he  had  no  money  to  purchase  that 
precious  book,  I  therefore  gave  him  one  gratis.  He 
was  quite  overjoyed,  and  he  wrote  my  name  in  it,  in  the 
Syriac  tongue, — "  I  have  received  this  book  from  Jo- 
seph Wolf,  may  God  make  him  very  great !" 

I  must  here  observe,  that  I  asked  the  Caraite  Jews 
whether  they  acknowledge  the  Beni  Khaibr  (Jews  whom 
Niebuhr  mentions  in  his  travels)  as  their  brethren !  they 
replied,  "God  forbid,  for  those  Jews  never  came  to 
Jerusalem ;  they  remained  in  the  desert  when  Joshua 
brought  the  rest  of  the  people  of  God  into  the  land  of 
promise ;  and  thus  they  live  in  the  desert  near  Mecca, 
without  any  knowledge  of  the  law  or  the  prophets,  wan- 
dering about  as  robbers,  and  enemies  of  mankind.  They 
call  themselves  the  Beni  Moshe,  children  of  Moses." 
Several  Jews  called  to-day  on  me ;  I  was  not  at  home, 
for  I  had  just  called  on  the  Archbishop  of  the  Jaco- 
bites. I  made  him  a  present  of  a  Syriac  New  Testa- 
ment, and  he  was  quite  overjoyed  with  it. 

I  visited  this  evening,  the  patriarch  of  the  Armenian 
convent,  where  1  am  now  situated.  He  asked  me  wheth- 
er I  found  myself  happy  in  his  convent,  and  he  promis- 
ed me  to  write  to  you.  We  conversed  on  the  excellen- 
cy of  the  Scriptures.  Archbishop  Jacob  made  the  ex- 
cellent observation,  that  we  must  take  Scripture  in  its 
simplicity,  and  not  lay  upon  the  text  so  many  explana- 
tions ;  for  by  doing  so,  we  shall  not  find  a  Pope  in 
Scripture.  He  added  to  this  observation,  "  I  shall  lay 
down  my  sentiments  on  paper,  and  you  may  send  them 
to  England."  I  read  Jeremy  this  evening,  and  was 
struck  with  ch.  xii.  5,  for  I  remembered  that  Mr.  Sime^ 


232 

on  cited  that  passage  in  a  letter  addressed  to  me,  wheii 
at  Stansted. 

Mr.  Makarditch,  residing  at  Cairo,  a  rich  merchant  of 
the  Armenian  nation,  with  whom  I  travelled  through 
the  deserts  from  Cairo  to  Jaffa,  lives  at  present  at  the 
Armenian  convent  with  me.  I  talked  with  him  on  the 
subject  of  the  Bible  Society,  and  he  desired  to  become 
a  member  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 
As  I  am  not  agent  of  that  Society',  1  desire  every  one 
to  state  his  wish  on  paper,  wfiich  he  did. 

March  15. — I  wrote  a  letter  to  Mr.  Leutzen,  from 
Stutgard,  a  rich  traveller,  respecting  the  object  of  the 
London  Society  for  promoting  Christianity  amongst 
the  Jews,  and  he  wrote  to  me  in  answer,  that  he  should 
be  most  happy  to  subscribe,  and  will  give  IZ.  sterling  to 
Peter  Lee,  Esq.  according  to  my  desire. 

March  16. — The  Caraite  Jew  Saadiah,  calls  very  of- 
ten upon  me.  1  made  him,  and  the  other  two  Caraite 
Jews,  presents  of  Hebrew  New  Testaments  and  three 
Arabic  Psalters,  which  they  accepted  with  thanks.  They 
promised  me  to  read  in  both  books,  and  they  did  so  in 
my  presence,  more  than  an  hour.  I  was  struck  by  their 
telling  me  that  the  Caraites  do  not  believe  in  the  exist- 
ence of  the  devil,  and  believe  the  book  of  Job  not  to  be 
an  inspired  book. 

March  17. — I  delivered  the  letter  of  introduction, 
with  which  Assaid  Ahyr  Effendi,  a  Musselman  at  Jaffa, 
had  furnished  me,  to  Mahomed  Said  Har  Allah,  at  Je- 
rusalem. The  latter  is  known  from  Jerusalem  to  Mec- 
ca, on  account  of  his  knowledge  of  the  Arabic  language. 
1  have  taken  him  for  my  master  in  the  Arabic  and  Turk- 
ish, and  he  instructs  me  ewery  day,  two  hours.  I  have 
induced  him  to  write  a  letter  to  Henry  Drummond,  and 
John  Bayford,  Esqrs.,  and  to  the  learned  Oriental  scho- 
lars in  Germany  and  England.  I  shewed  to  him  the 
Arabic  Psalter,  and  offered  him  one  as  a  present ;  of 
which  he  was  very  glad.  It  would  be  better  to  leave 
out  in  the  beginning  of  the  Psalters,  the  inscription,  "  In 
the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit/'  for 


233 

Jews  and  Mussulraen  would  then  more  readily  receive 
them. 

Archbishop  Jacob,  the  Armenian,  called  on  me,  and 
I  talked  with  him  on  the  importance  of  promoting  the 
word  of  God,  by  which  we  shall  become,  by  God's 
grace,  teachers  of  righteousness  ;  for  teachers  of  righte- 
ousness shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  stars. 

Mr.  Stephen  Catrhtoo,  the  Armenian,  residing  at 
Calcutta,  has  dissuaded  the  patriarch  from  writing  to 
you  about  the  establishment  of  a  college  at  Jerusalem  in 
their  convent.  Mr.  Stephen  Catchtoo  observed,  that 
the  lives  and  conduct  of  tlie  missionaries  at  Calcutta,  is 
so  different  from  the  conduct  of  the  other  English  gen- 
tlemen, that  he  was  persuaded,  that  no  missionary  was 
ever  a  native  Englishman  ;  for  the  missionaries  in  India 
live  a  holy  life,  whilst  the  other  English  gentlemen  live 
a  very  gay  life.  1  mentioned  to  him  the  names  of  sev- 
eral English  gentlemen  who  are  no  missionaries,  but 
notwithstanding  are  pious  men  ;  but  as  Stephen  is  an 
old  man,  I  must  have  patience,  and  try  to  convince  him 
of  his  error  by  degrees.  Bishop  Jacob  and  Pater  Pao- 
la,  however,  try  to  induce  the  patriarch  and  the  bishops, 
to  leave  a  considerable  part  of  the  convent  to  the  dispo- 
sition of  English  Christians. 

Archbishop  Jacob  said  to  me  to-day,  that  it  is  highly 
necessary  the  English  Bible  Society  should  print,  1. 
Turkish  Bibles  and  Testaments  with  Armenian  charac- 
ters ;  and,  2,  Bibles  and  Testaments  in  the  vulgar 
Armenian  tongue :  he  recommended  this  to  me  repeat- 
edly. 

March  18. — I  have  to  day  invited  Mr.  Carne,  Mr. 
Gethin,  and  Mr.  Lutzen,  to  dine  with  me  ;  during  our 
dinner,  Rabbi  Mose  Secot,  one  of  the  divines  (Hakam) 
of  the  Talmudist  Jews,  a  Pharisee  by  persuasion,  enter- 
ed the  room.     1  was  struck  with  his  modesty. 

I  (In  Hebrew.)  Have  you  read  the  law  of  Moses  and 
the  Prophets  ? 

Rabhi  Mose  Secot.  Yes,  the  name  of  th«  hord  be  bles- 
sed for  it ! 

L  And  the  Talinud  f 

SO* 


234 

Rabhi  Mose  Secot,  I  am  reading  it  day  and  night. 

/.  Will  you  give  me  lessons  in  Hebrew  and  Spanish? 

Rabbi  Mose  Secot,  With  all  my  heart ;  1  shall  come 
to  you  every  day.  I  am  surprised  to  hear  you  talk  in 
Hebrew  so  welL     Where  have  you  learned  it  ? 

/.  Jews  and  Gentiles  have  been  my  masters  in  that 
language  ! 

liabbiMose  Secot.  Your  name? 

/.  Joseph  Wolf. 

Rabbi  Mose  Secot.  I  have  heard  of  you  ;  you  have 
conversed  vi^ith  Jews  in  Egypt. 

/.  Yes,  and  I  was  very  well  received  by  them  indeed  ; 
the  letters  I  have  received  from  them  for  several  rabbies 
of  this  place  may  convince  you  of  it. 

Rabbi  Mose  Secot,  And  you  shall  be  well  received  by 
Jews  of  the  holy  city ;  we  shall  shew  you  our  colleges 
and  our  synagogues. 

/.  How  many  synagogues  are  there  here  ? 

Rabbi  Mose  Secot.  Five  synagogues,  and  700  fami- 
lies of  Jews. 

/.  Of  what  persuasion  ? 

Rabbi  Mose  Secot.  1.  Rabbinist  Jews,  among  whom 
are  many  Parisees,  especially  among  the  Ashkenasi 
(Polish  Jews  :)  2.  Caraites,  which  are  disciples  of  Sa- 
dok.  (Sadducees.) 

I.  The  Caraites  protest  against  being  Sadducees, 
they  believe  the  resurrection  of  the  dead. 

Rabbi  Mose  Secot.  They  are  disciples  of  Sadok. 

J.  I  have  heard  of  Jews  (in  Neibuhr's  travels)  who 
are  wandering  about  like  Arabs,  near  Mecca  ;  do  you 
know  of  them  ? 

Rabbi  Mose  Secot.  They  are  called  the  Beni  Khaibr. 

1  was  rejoiced  to  perceive  that  they  are  known  by 
the  Jews  at  Jerusalem,  under  the  very  name  which 
Neibuhr  gave  to  them  ;  and  I  asked  Rabbi  Mose  Secot, 
whether  those  Beni  Khaibr  ever  came  to  Jerusalem  ? 

Rabbi  Mose  Secot,  In  the  time  of  Jeremiah  the  pro- 
phet they  came  hither. 

I.  How  do  you  know  this  ? 


235 

Rahhi  Mose  Secot.  Let  us  read  the  prophet  Jeremiah. 
He  then  read  Jeremiah  xxxv.  1  — 11 

You  see  by  this,  that  Rabbi  Mose  Secot  is  quite  cer- 
tain that  the  Beni  Khaibrare  descendants  of  the  Recha- 
bites  :  to  tliis  present  moment  they  drink  no  wine,  and 
have  neither  vineyard,  nor  field,  nor  seed,  but  dwell,  like 
Arabs,  in  tents,  and  are  wandering  Nomades  :  they  be- 
lieve and  observe  the  law  of  Moses  by  tradition,  for  they 
are  not  in  the  possession  of  the  written  law ;  and  Mose 
Secot  observed,  that  their  name,  Khaibr,  is  to  be  found 
in  Judges  iv.  11.  "  Now  Khaibr  (the  same  as  Heber) 
the  Kenite,  which  was  of  the  children  of  Hobab,  the  fa- 
ther-in-law of  Moses,  had  severed  himself  from  the  Ke- 
nites,  and  pitched  his  tent  in  the  plain  of  Zanaaim, 
which  is  by  Kedesh-"  And  it  was  among  the  Beni 
Khaibr  that  Sisera  met  his  death,  Judges  iv.  19  ;  and  of 
whom  Deborah  sung,  "  Blessed  above  women  shall  Jael, 
the  wife  of  Heber  (Khaibr)  the  Kenite  be  ;  blessed  shall 
she  be  above  women  in  ihe  tent ;"  and  those  Beni 
Khaibr  are  descendants  of  Jethro,  the  father'in-law  to 
Moses,  and  Mose  Secot  proved  it  by  Numbers  x.  29  : 
*'  And  Moses  said  unto  Hobab,  the  son  of  Raguel,  the 
Midianite,  Moses'  father-in-law,  We  are  journeying 
unto  the  place  of  which  the  Lord  said,  I  will  give  it  you  : 
come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good,  For  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  good  concerning  Israel  :  and  he  said 
unto  him,  I  will  not  go,  he.  he.  Mose  Secot  has  pro- 
mised me  to  bring  the  Talmud  with  him  the  nexi  day, 
and  to  make  this  more  evident.  We  talked  after  this 
about  the  present  state  of  Jerusalem.  Mose  Secot  ob- 
served, Jerusalem  is  a  holy  city,  it  has  been  once  the 
residence  of  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He  :  but  Jeremi- 
ah has  given  a  true  picture  of  the  present  state  ;  1  inter- 
rupted him,  and  said,  "  How  doth  the  city  sit  solitary, 
that  was  full  of  people  !■'  Mose  Secot  interrupted  me, 
wept,  and  said  ;  "  How  is  she  become  as  a  widow  !" 

/.  '*  She  that  was  great  among  the  nations,  and  prin- 
cess among  the  provinces,  how  is  she  become  tributa- 
ry f  " 


236 

Mose  Secot  (weeping.)  "  Judah  is  gone  into  capti- 
vity because  of  afflction  ;  the  ways  of  Zion  do  mourn  *, 
O  Lord,  though  our  iniquities  testify  against  us,  do 
thou  it  for  thy  name's  sake :  for  our  backslidings  are 
many,  we  have  sinned  against  thee."  As  two  English 
friends,  Mr.  Gethin  and  Mr.  Carne,  and  a  German 
gentleman,  Mr.  Lutzen,  were  present,  conversing  with 
each  other  upon  other  subjects,  I  turned  myself  to  them, 
and  said  :  "  Friends,  witness  the  tears  of  this  Jew,  on 
account  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.""  Rabbi  Mose 
Secot  is  to  come  to-morrow,  and  read  with  me  in  He- 
brew and  Spanish.  1  shall  desire  him  to  point  out  to 
me  those  texts  of  Scripture  by  which  they  prove  the  ad- 
vent of  Messiah  :  I  shall  then  have  a  better  ground  for 
future  arguments. 

I  prayed  this  evening  with  the  Armenian  priest,  Pater 
Paolo;  he  desired  me  to  write  down  the  prayer  for 
him,  that  he  might  pray  every  day  ;  but  1  said  it  was 
impossible,  for  it  was  the  prayer  of  the  heart,  a  prayer 
which  I  recommended  to  him  :  he  ought  to  kneel  down 
every  day,  when  in  his  closet,  and  carry  to  God  all  his 
wants  and  griefs,  and  he  must  do  this  in  the  name  of  Je- 
sus Christ.  He  said  he  hoped  that  he  should  follow  my 
advice  ;  he  is  as  teachable  as  a  child,  so  that  I  am  often 
ashamed  of  myself,  when  I  observe  his  humility.  O, 
that  I  could  so  kneel  down  to  prayer  with  one  of  my 
brethren  according  to  the  flesh,  and  pray  with  him  to 
that  Saviour,  who  wept  for  that  very  city  where  I  now 
am,  who  wept  for  Jerusalem. 

March  18. — I  called  on  the  Governor  (Musselim  ;) 
one  of  the  Turkish  judges  was  present,  and  many  other 
Mussulmen.  I  was  accompanied  by  Pater  Paolo  and  the 
dragoman  of  the  Armenian  convent.  When  I  presented 
to  him  the  firman  of  the  great  Sultan  he  kissed  it,  and 
made  his  bow  to  it ;  he  told  me  that  if  I  staid  at  Jerusa- 
lem many  years,  I  might  come  into  his  house  as  one  of 
his  friends.  He  was  rejoiced  to  perceive  that  I  under- 
stood the  Arabic  and  Persian  tongues.  1  asked  him 
whether  I  might  take  the  liberty  of  making  to  him  and 
the  judge,  a  present  of  an  Arabic  and  Persian  Bible  and 


237 

Gospel ;  he  replied,  that  he  should  be  very  happy  to  re- 
ceive them  ;  and  observed,  that  the  Torah  (books  of 
Moses  and  the  Prophets)  the  Gospel  and  the  Koran,  are 
liighly  esteemed  by  every  trueMusselman.  I  told  him  that 
I  myself  have  read  the  Koran  with  much  attention,  and 
the  English  nation  have  a  most  excellent  translation  of 
the  whole  Koran ;  he  said  to  me  that  I  should  come  to 
his  garden  one  day,  when  he  would  introduce  me  to  all 
the  learned  Mussulmen  of  the  holy  city.  Alhaj  Shaker 
Agha,  the  principal  oliicer  to  the  governor,  entered  my 
room  in  the  afternoon,  saying,  I  wish  to  make  acquaint- 
ance with  you,  on  account  of  your  knowledge  of  the  Per- 
sian language.  Some  minutes  after  him,  rabbi  Mose 
Scot  and  many  Armenians  entered  my  room  ;  the  room 
was  crowded.  I  showed  the  Musselman,  Alhaj  Shaker 
Agha,  the  Persian  New  Testament  of  Henry  Martin,  and 
an  Arabic  Pv.ew  Testament;  he  read  in  it  more  than 
half  an  hour,  and  was  pleased  with  it ;  in  the  mean  while 
I  observed  rabbi  Mose  Secot  take  hold  of  the  Hebrew 
New  Testament,  and  read  in  it  with  great  attention. 
Alhaj  Shaker  Agha  said  to  me,  that  he  wished  to  read 
both  the  Persian  and  Arabic  New  Testaments.  I  told 
him  that  it  would  give  me  great  pleasure,  if  he  would  ac- 
cept both  of  them  as  a  token  of  my  love  towards  him  ; 
he  replied,  that  I  could  not  have  obliged  him  more  than 
by  giving  him  these  books.  I  gave  him  likewise  an 
Arabic  Psalter.  1  addressed  myself  afterwards  to  rabbi 
Mose  Secot,  and  asked  him,  (after  he  had  laid  aside  the 
Hebrew  New  Testament,)  whether  he  had  ever  seen  that 
book  before  ;  he  said,  '  Not  only  seen,  but  read  it  through 
with  great  attention  when  at  Aleppo,  in  the  house  of  a 
rabbi  at  Aleppo.' 

1.  Tell  me  sincerely,  what  do  you  think  of  this  book  ^ 

Rabbi  Mose  Secot.  It  is  a  very  good  book  indeed, 
there  are  to  be  found  some  difficulties  about  which  we 
will  converse  some  day  or  other. 

J.  1  should  be  much  obliged  to  you  if  you  would  be 
so  kind  as  to  point  out  t<»  me  those  passages  of  the  Old 
Testament,  which  you  believe  speak  of  the  Messiah. 

You,   and  Mr,  Bayford,   and  all  friends  of  the  Jews, 


238 

will  be  surprised  when  I  tell  you,  that  rabbi  Mose  Secot 
gave  me  the  following  answer,  '  Those  passages  of  the 
Old  Testament  cited  in  the  New,  speak  undoubtedly  of 
the  Messiah  ;  and  rabbi  Mose  Secot  took  the  New  Tes- 
tament again,  and  said,  '  Isaiah  has  undoubtedly  spok- 
en of  the  Messiah,  saying,  "  Behold  a  virgiu,"  Sic. 
Isaiah,  vii.  14.  and  the  New  Testament  has  cited  faith- 
fully those  passages  which  speak  of  the  Messiah ;  but 
there  are  other  prohecies  respecting  the  Messiah  which 
are  not  yet  fulfilled  ;  as  for  instance,  "  Moreover,  the 
liglit  of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun  and  the 
light  of  the  sun  shall  be  seven-fold,"  Isaiah  xxx.  26.' 
I  did  not  like  to  enter  into  argument,  but  brought  him 
rather  more  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ  by  the  Prophets 
and  by  the  Gospel.  1  cited  to  him  the  liiid  chapter  of 
Isaiah,  and  read  with  him  the  sermon  of  Stephen,  Acts 
vii, 

March,  19. — Rabbi  Mose  Secot  called  again  to-day; 
we  conversed  together  on  the  fallen  nature  of  man  ;  when 
we  arrived  at  the  third  chapter  of  the  book  of  Genesis, 
he  stated  his  belief  in  original  sin.  Ke  showed  me  like- 
wise the  passage  in  the  Talmud,  which  speaks  of  the 
Beni  Khaibr,  or  rather  of  the  Rechabites,  as  children  of 
Jethro.  The  passage  is  in  the  treatise  of  Sota.  I  now 
conclude  my  letter,  with  the  wish  that  you  may  pray  for 
your  friend,  Joseph  Wolf, 

Dear  Friends, 

Jerusalem^  April,  1822. 
March  20. — Abraham,  the  son  of  Reuben,  called  on 
me  and  said,  that,  during  my  absence,  he  waited  a  long, 
time  for  me  in  my  room,  and  looked  at  the  books,  and 
perceived  that  1  was  in  possession  of  the  New  Testament 
translated  into  the  Hebrew,  of  which  he  must  tell  me, 
that  no  Jew  will  ever  read  it,  because  it  speaks  of  Jesus 
Christ — but  he  himself  being  one  of  those  extraordinary 
Jews,  who  do  not  fear  the  attacks  of  Christians,  is  dis- 
posed to  argue  with  me,  for  he  has  already  silenced  a 
Christian  this  very  day  by  a  single  text  of  Daniel.     I  re- 


239 

plied,  that  I  should  be  glad  if  he  would  be  so  kind  as 
to  show  me  that  text  of  Daniel. 

Abraham.  Look  at  Dan.  xii.  11  12. 

/.  This  passage  does  not  speak  of  the  first  arrival  of 
the  Messiah,  and  of  his  suffering,  for  those  times  are 
spoken  of  in  Dan.  ix.  26.  Tsa.  liii.  but  the  text  you  cite 
speaks  of  the  second  coming. 

Araham. — Why  should  we  transgress  the  law,  when 
the  Tahnud  assures  us  that  the  souls  of  all  men  who  are 
living  at  the  present  time,  and  all  the  souls  of  fnture  ages 
were  upon  mount  Sinai  when  Moses  received  the  law, 
in  order  that  nobody  might  have  an  excuse. 

I,  I  do  not  believe  in  the  Talmud,  1  believe  in  the 
Torah,  for  theTorah  of  Moses  is  truth,  the  Prophets  are 
truth,  and  the  Lord  is  truth. 

March  21. — Abraham,  the  son  of  David  Tskawish  Sti- 
fro,  born  at  Sklow,  and  Wolf,  the  son  of  Hirsh,  called 
on  me ;  the  first,  seventeen  years  of  age,  the  second, 
twenty. 

Abraham.  We  call  on  you,  for  we  are  men  of  great 
understanding  and  wisdom — the  name  of  the  Lord  be 
blessed  for  it.  I  have  often  argued  with  Christians,  but 
none  of  them  was  able  to  answer,  for  I  go  very  deeply, 
and  I  have  studied  the  law  ofMoses,  with  the  commen- 
taries of  Rashi  and  Tasphot. 

He  added,  that  Melchior  Tschudy  has  given  him  a 
New  Testament,  whicn  he  read,  and  afterwards  stated 
his  objection  {o  Tschudy,  which  Tschudy  was  not  able 
to  answer.  This  was  of  Matthew  ii.  23,  '*  That  it  might 
be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  the  prophets.  He  shall 
be  called  a  Nazarene."  Tschudy  sought  again  and 
again  in  the  Prophets,  for  more  than  an  hour,  and  could 
not  find  the  text ;  and  I  defy  and  challenge  you  to  show 
me  that  prophecy.  Tschudy's  answer  was,  The  devil 
detains  the  Jews  from  believing  in  Christ ;  but  this  was 
no  answer  to  the  point  in  question. 

1.  There  is  no  doubt  that  this  is  a  prophecy  cited 
which  is  now  clearly  existing,  but  we  have  reason  to  be 
thankful  to  the  New  Testament,  for  having  preserved  it 
to  us.     An  allusion  may  however  be  intended  to  Isa.  ix. 


240 

I,  "  Beyond  Jordan,  in  Galilee.  &;c."  for  Nazareth  is  a 
city  of  Galilee. 

All  the  other  objections  brought  forth  by  Abraham 
Iskawish  were  exceedingly  weak,  and  [  was,  by  God's 
grace,  able  to  encounter  them. 

March  22. — I  called  again  on  the  Caraite  Jews,  Saa- 
diah  and  Solomon,  and  desired  them  to  lend  me  their 
Liturgy  for  some  days,  which  they  did. 

As  it  may,  perhaps,  be  of  use  to  know  the  names  of 
the  principal  Caraite  rabbies,  I  add  to  my  journal  the 
names  of  those  rabbies  who  are  mentioned  in  this  Litur- 
gy, as  giving  their  approbation  to  it. 

The  following  is  a  translation  of  one  of  their  hymns, 
in  which  they  bewail  their  present  condition. 

Cantor.  On  account  of  the  palace  which  is  laid  waste. 

People.  We  sit  down  alone  and  weep. 

Cantor.  On  account  of  the  temple  which  is  destroyed. 

People.  We  sit  down  alone  and  weep. 

Cantor.  On  account  of  the  walls  which  are  pulled 
down. 

People.  We  sit  down  alone  and  weep. 

Cantor.  On  account  of  our  majesty  which  is  gone. 

People.  We  sit  down  alone  and  weep. 

Cantor.  On  account  of  our  great  men  who  have  been 
cast  down. 

People.  We  sit  down  alone  and  weep. 

Cantor.  On  account  of  the  precious  stones  which  are 
burned. 

People.  We  sit  down  alone  and  weep. 

Cayitor.  On  account  of  the  priests  who  have  stumbled. 

People.  We  sit  down  alone  and  weep. 

(Cantor.  On  account  of  our  kings  who  have  despised 
him. 

People.  We  sit  down  alone  and  weep. 

Another  Hymn. 

Cantor.  We  beseech  thee,  have  mercy  upon  Sion, 
People.  Gather  the  children  of  Jerusalem. 
Cantor.  MaJse  haste,  Redeemer  of  Sion. 


241 

People.  Speak  to  the  heart  of  Jerusalem. 

Cantor.  May  beauty  and  majesty  surround  Sio«. 

People.  And  turn  with  thy  mercy  to  Jerusalem. 

Cantor.  Remember  the  shame  of  Sion. 

People.  Make  new  again  the  ruins  of  Jerusalem. 

Cantor.  May  the  royal  government  shine  again  over 
Sion. 

People.  Comfort  those  who  mourn  at  Jerusalem. 

Cantor.  May  joy  and  gladness  be  found  upon  Sion. 

People.  A  branch  shall  spring  forth  at  Jerusalem. 

I  asked  Saadiah  whetiier  they  offer  up  sacrifices  at 
Kalaa  ?  Saadiah  took  hold  of  my  arm,  and  went  with 
me  to  ilie  window,  whence  the  mosque  of  the  Mussul- 
men  is  seen.  Saadiah  said,  Do  you  see  that  mosque  of 
the  Mussulmen  f 

I.  Yes. 

Saadiah.  Our  temple  stood  on  that  very  spot  once  5 
it  is  destroyed,  alas!  alas!  alas!  and  since  thai  time,  Is- 
rael is  many  days  without  sacrifice,  without  ephod,  and 
without  teraphim. 

/.  And  you  shall  be  so,  until  you  look  on  Him  whom 
you  have  pierced,  and  mourn. 

March  23.— Went  with  Mr.  Carne  and  Mr.  Gethin 
to  the  pool  of  Siloah,  and  read  John  ix. 

March  24. — Sold  forty- r.ine  Psalters  (Arabic)  to  a 
poor  Greek  ;  the  whole  for  twenty-two  piastres,  thirty 
barras.  Made  a  present  of  a  Greek  Testament  to  the 
learned  Greek  priest,  Petrus  Jesus ;  he  teaches  me  Ara- 
bic and  modern  Greek. 

Abraham  the  son  of  David,  Wolf  the  son  of  Hirsh, 
and  raobi  Mose  Secot  cilled  on  me. 

Abraham.  Do  you  believe  that  the  true  command- 
ments can  never  be  altered  ^ 

Abraham  showed  me  Exodus  xx.  4,  and  desired  me 
to  translate  this  verse. 

/.  '•  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  im- 
age," &C.  &1C. 

Abraham.  Why  do  the  Christians  of  this  place  trans- 
gress this  commandment  every  day  .? 

L  They  are  idolaters,  not  Christians ;  the  New   Te«- 
21 


242 

tament  forbids  it  in  many  places  ;  St.  Paul  to  the  Ro- 
mans, and  in  the  Revelation  of  St.  John.  Rabbi  Mose 
Secot  and  Abraham  were  surprised  to  hear  me  speak  in 
this  way  1  showed  them  tiie  character  of  the  Pope, 
described  in  2  Thess.  ii.  2 — 5.  Mose  Secot  made  the 
Just  observation,  that  he  perceived  by  the  conversation 
he  had  with  me,  that  Christians  themselves  have  per- 
verted the  sense  of  the  New  Testament.  He  is  now 
reading  it. 

I  have  prayed  this  evening  in  my  room,  in  the  com- 
pany of  Pater  Paolo  Tiutiungi,  and  his  amiable  bro- 
ther, Macarditsh  Wardabet.  I  prayed  in  Italian,  and 
Pater  Paolo  Tiutiungi  repeated  every  sentence  of  my 
prayer  in  the  Armenian  tongue,  for  his  brother  neither 
speaks  Arabic  r)or  Italian.  Macarditch  feels  more  con- 
viction of  the  sinfulness  of  his  heart  than  Pater  Paolo 
Tiutiungi,  but  1  have  nevertheless  much  hope  of  Pater 
Paolo,  on  account  of  his  teachable  mind. 

Archbishop  Jacob  Minasia  is  gone  to  Smyrna,  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  a  college  for  Armenians  ;  he 
said  to  me,  1  will  give  my  blood  for  the  cause  of  the 
Bible  Society.  1  called  again  on  the  excellent  Proco- 
pius. 

March  25. — Rabbi  Mose  Secot  introduced  me  to  rab- 
bi Solomon  Ben  Menahem  from  Wilna,  to  whom  I  had 
a  letter  of  introduction  from  the  Rev.  Jacob  Berggren. 
He  received  me  very  kindly  indeed,  and  promised  to 
call  on  me. 

March  26.  I  had  already,  at  Malta,  Alexandria,  and 
Cairo,  heard  of  the  name  of  rabbi  Mendal  Ben  Baruch, 
the  chief  rabbi  of  the  Polish  Jews  residing  at  Jerusalem, 
who  is  generally  acknowledged,  even  by  the  Spanish 
Jews,  as  the  greatest  divine  of  this  present  age.  He  is 
considered  ihe  greatest  Baal  Kabbala  and  Hasid.  Rab- 
bi Solomon,  his  disciple,  told  me  of  him,  when  at  Cairo, 
that  rabbi  Mendel  can  preach  upon  every  word  of  the 
Torah  more  than  three  hours,  and  every  one  present 
seems  struck  with  astonishment.  Rabbi  Mendel  was 
the  disciple  of  the  celebrated  Elia  Wilna.  Abraham^ 
the  son  of  David,  entered  my  room,  and  told  me  that 


243 

rabbi  Mendel  wished  to  see  me,  and  at  the  same  time, 
that  there  was  a  possibility  of  my  conversing  with  him 
on  the  subject  of  Christianity.  1  went  immediately  to 
bim,  and  how  much  was  I  surprised  to  see  before  me  a 
kind  looking  Jew,  without  the  least  pretension,  and  his 
countenance  marked  with  humiliiy;  he  may  be  fifty 
years  of  age.  lie  excused  himself  for  sending  for  me, 
by  saying,  I  never  go  out,  and  1  should  therefore  be 
very  glad  to  see  you  every  day  in  my  house.  Many 
other  Jews  crowded  round,  and  among  others,  a  young 
Jew  fourteen  years  of  age,  who  had  been  already  mar- 
ried two  years.  I  addressed  myself  to  rabbi  Mendel, 
and  said  to  him,  I  perceive  that  the  Jews  of  this  place 
marry  very  early. 

Rabbi  Mendel.  "  As  arrows  in  the  hand  of  a  mighty 
man,  so  are  children  of  the  youth,"  Psalm  cxxvii.  4. 

/.  Your  observation  is  very  good.  1  have  heard  that 
you  have  been  a  disciple  of  Rabbi  Elia  Wilna,  (the  re- 
membrance of  the  just  is  a  blessing.)  I  told  him  then 
of  the  History  of  the  Jews,  written  by  Mrs  Hannah 
Adams.  I  asked  him  whether  he  had  heard  of  Jona- 
than Eubezliuz,  (upon  whom  may  there  be  peace.)  I 
told  him  that  Jonathan  Eubezliuz  had  too  much  sense 
to  believe  in  the  impostor  Shabatai  Zebi.  I  observed 
that  the  Christians  in  England  are  very  liberally-mind- 
ed, that  rabbi  CrooU  and  David  Levi  wrote  against 
Christianity ;  and  the  Christians,  such  as  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Scott  and  Mr.  Cuninghame,  answered  him 
with  meekness  and  candour.  He  offered  to  read  He- 
brew with  me  every  day,  and  to  converse  with  me  on 
the  subject  of  religion.  I  was  rejoiced  at  this  ofler,  and 
offered  him  some  little  money  (br  assistance,  but  he 
firmly  declined  it,  and  said  to  me,  that  his  relations  in 
Polonia  send  him  as  much  as  he  wants,  and  he  does  not 
want  riches.  I  then  went  with  some  Jews  to  the  college 
of  the  Polish  Jews,  where  I  met  with,  1.  Rabbi  Isaac 
Ben  Solomon;  2.  Rabbi  Hirsh  Ben  Zarah  ;  3.  Rabbi 
Joseph  Ben  Wolf.  These  are  Jevvs  wlio  came  from  Po- 
land to  die  in  the  land  of  Israel.  Rabbi  Hirsh  Ben  Za- 
rah observed,  That  it  is  not  pleasant  now  to  live  in  Pales- 


244 

tine,  but  it  is  pleasant  to  die  in  this  land,  and  all  of  us 
here  have  come  to  die  in  the  land  of  Israel.  The  young 
Rabbi,  Isaac  Ben  Solomon,  called  on  me  after  this  in 
the  convent,  and  desired  to  converse  with  me  about  reli- 
gion. I  called  on  Rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Menahem ;  he 
lent  me  a  little  Hebrew  book,  composed  by  Rabbi  Ma- 
nasse  Ben  Israel.  Rabbi  Solomon  observed,  that  he  was 
reasonable  in  all  things.  He  wishes  much  to  converse 
with  me  as  soon  as  Easter  shall  be  over.  The  little 
book  of  Manasse  Ben  Israel  contains  travels  through  the 
world  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  the  condition  of  the 
Jews. 

I  argued  after  this  with  a  Catholic,  about  the  worship 
of  images  ;  rabbi  Mose  Secot  was  present. 

March  27. — I  desired  rabbi  Mendel  to  read  Hebrew 
with  me,  according  to  his  promise. 

Rabbi  M.  Have  you  ever  heard  of  Onkelos  ^ 

1.  He  wrote  the  Targum. 

Rabbi  M.  This  same  Onkelos  was  a  Gentile  by  birth, 
but  turned  to  Judaism  in  order  that  he  might  live  in  the 
true  religion,  and  then  he  was  taught  in  all  wisdom. 
Should  you  like  to  do  the  same  ^ 

I.  Before  I  enter  into  conversation  with  you  about 
the  truth  of  Judaism,  I  must  make  before  you  the  pro- 
fession of  my  faith  ;  I  do  not  worship  images,  nor  the 
wooden  cross,  as  you  see  the  Christians  of  this  place 
doing ;  but  I  believe,  "  Hear,  O  Israel ;  the  Lord  our 
God  is  one  Lord,"  and  I  firmly  believe  that  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  was  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  he 
came  to  sufier  for  our  iniquities,  and  that  he  shall  come 
again,  and  be  the  Redeemer  of  Israel.  I  beg  of  you. 
rabbi,  to  tell  me  the  meaning  of  Gen.  iii.  15. 

Rabbi  M,  Let  us  consider  first,  the  spot  where  meii 
and  beasts  were  before  Adam's  fall;  they  were  in  the 
paradise  of  God,  and  it  were  absurd  to  think,  that  an 
unclean  body  should  be  in  the  garden  of  God,  and  we 
must  therefore  conclude,  that  men  and  beasts  were  ori- 
ginally endowed  with  a  glorified  body  ;  but  the  serpent, 
the  inducer  to  evil,  the  Satan,  the  leader  astray  from  the 
path  of  God,  persuaded  Hava  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  know- 


245 

ledge,  that  is,  to  transgress  one  of  the  seven  command- 
ments which  he  gave  to  him,  and  then  the  glorified  body 
of  Adam  and  the  animals  became  sinful  and  miserable. 
But  the  Holy  one  said  to  Satan,  I  will  put  enmity  be- 
tween thee,  Satan,  and  the  woman,  (for  thou  shalt  try  to 
lead  her  astray  from  me,  but  she  shall  hate  thee,)  "  and 
between  thy  seed,"  the  passions,  or  bad  men,  and  "  Aer 
seeo?"  the  Messiah,  and  the  people  beloved.  He  shall 
finally  overcome  thee,  and  take  thy  power  :  '  It  shall 
bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel,"  the  heel 
of  Messiah  tlie  son  of  Ephraim,  that  is,  he.  the  son  of 
Ephraim,  shall,  by  the  devices  of  the  Devil,  be  killed; 
and  that  Messiah,  the  son  of  Ephraim,  was  Jeroboam. 
He  in  the  beginning  was  a  pious  and  good  man,  for 
"Jeroboam  was  a  mighty  man  of  valour,"  but  as  soon 
as  Satan  bruised  his  heel,  Jeroboam  made  Israel  sin  ; 
but  the  Lord  has  given  him  his  kingdom,  he  shall  there- 
fore be  the  first  Messiah  who  shall  be  put  to  death,  and 
they  shall  look  upon  that  Messiah  whom  they  have 
pierced,  and  mourn;  for  Satan  has  bruised  his  heel,  and 
Satan  bruises  likewise  the  heel  of  poor  Israel,  for  we 
poor  Jews  are,  alas!  in  captivity.  For  Satan  has  indu- 
ced us  to  sin  ;  he  is  the  cause  that  we  poor  Jews  sit 
alone,  and  nobody  considers  us ;  but  redemption  will 
soon  come  to  poor  Israel,  and  those  children  of  Jacob, 
who  said  to  their  brother  Joseph,  "  Shalt  thou  indeed 
reign  over  us  ?  or  shalt  thou  indeed  have  dominion  over 
us  ?"  (Genesis  xxxvii.  8.)  have  said  to  Joseph,  in  a  pro- 
phetical tone,  "  And  we  will  also  be  my  Lord's  ser- 
vants." "  Ephraim  shall  not  envy  Judah,  and  Judah 
shall  not  vex  Ephraim,"  Isaiah  xi.  13.  For  Messiah 
Ben  Epliraim,  and  Messiah  Ben  David,  shall  live  to- 
gether in  peace,  and  then  the  mystery  of  tlie  three  ini- 
tial characters  of  tlie  three  words,  "  Thousand,  two  liun- 
dred  and  ninety,"  Dan,  xii.  11,  D'^'^n  LD'HiD  "j^-'K, 
shall  be  fulfilled  ;  for  the  initial  letter  of  iSn  is  K,  of 
D  nrj5  is  L,  of  D'y'ki'^T  is  n,  those  three  characters  join- 
ed together,  form  the  word  riDN*,  truth ;  for  the  whole 
world  will  be  converted  to  the  truth,  nJ2»\  5  and  the  time 

21* 


246 

shall  then  be,  when  all  the  Gentiles  shall  flow  unto  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord,  and  many  shall  say,  "  Come  ye, 
let  us  go  up  lo  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  to  the  house 
of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  T;,*ntD  *]^1T''\  he  vvill  teach  us 
(not  all  his  ways,  for  this  he  did  only  to  the  Jews,  butj 
T-^11l3j  of  his  ways,"  for  ^  indicates  only  a  part  of  a 
thing;  he  siiall  teach  the  Gentiles  to  acknowledge  him, 
the  Holy  One,  who  is  blessed  as  their  God.  He  shall 
teach  them  to  observe  the  seven  commandments  given 
to  Adam,  which  are  lound  in  Gemarah  of  Sanhedrin, 
page  56.  1.  Blasphemy;  2.  Robbery;  3.  Idolatry;  4. 
Bloodshed;  5.  Discovery  of  nakedness;  6.  Making  eu- 
nuchs ;  7.  Mixing  with  beasts. 

Every  word  which  that  sincere  Rabbi  spake,  confirm- 
ed me  in  the  belief  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  Messiah. 
I  replied,  1  Kings  xiv.  10  proves  that  out  of  Jero- 
boam, the  Messiah  cannot  come  :  secondly.  We  find 
only  one  Messiah  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse  the  Son  of 
David.  Thirdly,  I  believe  myself,  that  Israel  will  be  re- 
stored to  their  own  land  :  but  as  we  meet  in  the  holy 
books  with  prophecies  which  must  convince  us  that 
Messiah  must  have  already  made  his  appearance  for  the 
first  time,  "The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah, 
^ic."  (Gen.  xlix  10.)  ?iindi^2\^  'indicates  royal  power,  see 
Psalm  ii.  9.  Amos  i.  5,  Numbers  xxi.  18  ; — we  must, 
therefore,  conclude,  that  he  must  have  come.  This  be- 
comes evident  by  Daniel  ix.  ;  and  that  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah,  becomes  clear  by  Micah  v.  Haggai  ii.  7,  9, 
Zech.  xii.  10,  Isa.  liii. 

Rabbi  AI.  It  is  true  that  'O^V  is  the  mark  of  royal 
power,  or  rather,  that  which  a  king  holds  in  his  Iiand, 
viz.  a  rod,  but  a  rod  is  not  so  much  as  a  staff,  and  our 
rabbies  sa}^,  therefore,  that  the  sense  is  this,  "  A  little  rod 
shall  not  betaken  from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  the  wri- 
ters from  between  his  feet,  until  the  Messiah  shall  come  ;" 
and  the  whole  meaning  is  this,  *  After  tiiat  the  kingdom 
shall  be  taken  from  Judah,  a  little  rod  shall  remain,  a 
little  power  in  the  tribe  of  poor  Judah,  even  at  the  time 
when  they  shall  sigh  in  captivity,  when  poor  Israel  shall 


247 

no  longer  be  able  to  distinguish  their  tribes,   some  wri- 
ters shall  }et   remain    between  their  feet,  and  that  little 
power  shall  not  be  taken  from  the  tribe  of  Judali  until 
Shiloh  shall  come  ;  but  aHer  that,    poor  Israel   shall  be 
entirely  oppressed,  so   that  no  man   shall  be  among  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  to  comfort  Israel  ;  then  shall  be  the  time 
of  the  approaching  Messiah;  for  iMoses  said,  (now  mark 
well  the  perversion  of  a  whole  text  of  Moses,  translated 
by  Rabbi  Mendel,)  Deuteronomy  xxxii.  part  of  the  36tli 
to  the  39th  verse,  "  When  he  seeth  that  their  power  is 
gone,  and  that  there  is  none  shut  up  or  left,  and  (the 
heathen)  shall  say,  Where  is  their  God,  the   Rock,   in 
whom  they  trusted,   which  did  eat  the  fat  of  their  sacri- 
fices, and  drank  the  wine  of  their  drink-offerings  ?     Let 
him  ^Jehovah)  rise  up,  and  help  you,  (Israelites,)  and  be 
your  protection  :  then  shall  the  Holy  One  say,  See  ye 
(heathen)   now,  that  I,  even  I,  am  he,    and  there  is  no 
God   beside   me,"    Sic.  "  Rejoice,  O  ye  nations,"  &ic. 
The  Holy  One  will  then    give  power  to  us  poor  Jews, 
who  do  not  dare  now  to  speak.     Secondly,  with  respect 
to  Daniel,  he  did  not  mean  the  Messiah  Ben  David   for 
f\M^iJ  signifies  likewise  a  king,  viz.   *'  Kings  shall  be  cut 
off;  there  shall  be  no  king  in  Israel  ;"  and  this  is  (con- 
tinued Rebbi  Mendel)  the  history  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
There  have  been  two  Messiahs  ;  one  lived  172  years  be- 
fore the  destruction  of  the  second  temple  :  there  lived  at 
Jerusalem  Joshua  Ben  Parahia,  a  great  man  among  the 
Sanhedrin,  he  was  surrounded  by  many  disciples  :  some 
of  his  disciples  played  with  a  ball  near  the  gate  of  the 
temple,   and  Jesus  one  of  the  disciples  of  Joshua  Ben 
Perahia,   who  was  a  relation  of  the  king,    who  reigned 
at  that  time  at  Jerusalem,  did  by  chance,  cast  the  ball 
into  the  eyes  of  the  king  ;  the  king  therefore  desired  to 
put  that   Jesus    to  death.     Joshua,   the  son  of  Perahia, 
escaped   therefore  with  Jesus   and   all   his  disciples   to 
Egypt.     There  he  received  the  news  that  the  king  was 
dead.     He  returned   therefore  to  Jerusalem.      On  their 
return,  they  met  with  the  most  hospitable   reception  in 
the  house  of  a  young  widow.     Rabbi  Joshua,  the  son  of 
Perahia,  said  to  his  disciples,  *  How  beautiful  has  been 


248 

the  conduct  of  that  widow.'  Jesus  misunderstood  his 
mnster,  and  observed,  *  Rabbi,  the  widow  is  not  very 
beautiful,  for  her  eyes  are  very  ugly.'  Rabbi  Joshua, 
the  son  of  Perahia  replied,  ^  How  may  you  dare  to  look 
on  a  woman  ;'  and  he  excommunicated  him  immediately. 
Jesus  several  times  desired  his  master  to  pardon  him, 
but  in  vain  ;  he  thereforeformed  a  party,  and  induced 
others  to  sin,  and  he  troubled  his  master,  until  he  was 
stoned.  Another  Jesus  lived  after  the  destruction  of  the 
temple,  who  was  an  illegitimate  child.  The  history  of 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  is  a  mixture  of  both  Jesus's. 

I  observed,  that  every  one  who  reads  the  New  Testa- 
tament  will  be  convinced  that  those  who  have  written  it 
were  not  impostors  ;  it  is,  therefore,  highly  improbable 
that  good  men  should  have  put  words  into  the  mouth  of 
a  wicked  one,  such  words  as  no  man  has  hitherto  spoken, 
and  that  those  good  men  would  have  suffered  death  for 
a  wicked  one.  After  this  conversation,  I  asked  on  what 
subjects  he  (Rabbi  Mendel)  had  written  books. 

Rabbi  M.  About  the  beauty  of  creation,  the  sun,  and 
the  course  of  the  stars.  It  is  true  that  many  philoso- 
phers have  written  on  these  subjects,  but  they  have  only 
mentioned  the  stars  and  the  sun,  and  have  forgotten  the 
Creator  of  all  those  things,  without  whom,  the  know- 
ledge of  the  whole  creation  is  nothing  :  but  I  have, 
the  Lord  be  blessed  for  it,  never  forgotten  Him,  the  Cre- 
ator of  all  things. 

I  observed,  that  the  Talmud  had  transgressed  the 
commandment  of  Deut.  iv.  2. 

Rabbi  M.  Poor  Israel  wandered  into  captivity,  there 
they  had  to  meet  with  many  difficulties  in  observing  the 
law  of  Moses  ;  the  Talmud  made  therefore  317  precau- 
tion walls,  in  order  that  the  617  commandments  pre- 
scribed in  the  Torah,  may  be  kept  in  the  captivity,  for 
it  is  written  in  the  Torah,  TID'^i^  Hh'  Drint:i;%  Levit. 
"xviii.  30,  "  Ye  shall  keep  my  ordinance  ;"  but  as  it  is 
twice  said,  ^rntintt^n^DHIDi:'-,  it  must  be  translated,  "Ye 
shall  mak'e  an  ordinance  to  my  ordinance  ;"  Here  I  was 
obliged  to  tell  Rabbi  Mendel,  that  he  perverted  the  textg 
in  despite  oi grammar  and  logic. 


249 

Abraham  Ben  David,  and  Wolf,  the  Jew  from  Poland, 
a  book-binder,  are  now  diligently  reading  the  New  Tes- 
tament, and  Abraham  seems  to  be  convinced  of  the  truth. 
Rabbi  Isaac  Ben  Solomon  argued  with  me  to-day  seve- 
ral hours,  and  confesses  that  he  is  not  able  to  encounter 
my  arguments.  Abraham's  mother  wished  to  see  me  ; 
she  wept  when  I  talked  with  her  about  confidence  in  God, 
and  hope  in  his  salvation. 

March  28. —  Rabbi  Mendel  sent  for  me.  I  took  with 
me  the  Journal,  and  read  to  him  the  contents  of  my  con- 
versation with  him  ;  he  told  me  that  1  had  remembered 
all  he  said  most  exactly.  He  has  published  some  works 
of  his  master  Rabbi  Elia  Wilna. 

I  talked  with  him  about  the  conversion  of  the  heart. 
Rabbi  Mendel  answered,  It  is  enough  when  our  works 
are  good  ;  we  are  justified  when  we  read  tlie  Talmud  day 
and  night ;  he  cited  as  a  proof,  Psalm  xc.  17,  '*  And 
establish  thou  the  works  of  our  hands,  &ic."  I  showed 
him  Ps.  li.  10,  "  Create,  &ic."  He  was  struck  by  the 
observation,  that  the  sacrifices  were  types  of  the  great 
sacrifice  of  the  Messiah,  Jesus  our  Lord.  I  spoke  with 
him  of  the  righteousness  of  the  Messiah,  and  desired  him 
to  explain  to  me  Isaiah  liii. 

Rabbi  Mendel.  First  of  all,  I  must  tell  you  the  S^S 
(general  observation.)  The  prophet  speaks  in  this  chap- 
ter of  the  Messiah,  of  the  people  of  Israel,  and  Solomon 
the  king. 

Rabbi  Mendel  expounded  the  whole  chapter  in  the 
most  confused  and  contradictory  manner.  I  will  only 
mention,  first,  theSS.::,  (general  observation.) 

Tlie^prophets  unite  the  events  which  shall  take  place 
in  their  time,  with  the  prediction  of  those  events  which 
shall  come  to  pass  in  the  time  of  the  Messiah.  \\\  Isaiah 
vii.  the  prophet  speaks  about  the  birth  of  Ileze.kiah ;  Ibr 
nt^Sv  is  not  virgin  but  young  lady  ;  poor  Israel,  who  af- 
flicted in  such  a  degree,  that  they  tear  their  clothes  as 
for  one  who  died,  shall  perceive  in  the  reign  of  Hezekiah, 
that  God  is  with  them  ;  for  the  Jews  shall  say  in  his 
time,  "  We  may  now  sit  at  home,  and  study  the  written 


250 

and  the  traditional  word  of  God,  and  he  the  Lord  is  with 
us,  for  he  sent  his  angel  to  fight  against  Sennacherib." 

Rabbi  Mendel  observed,  that  Isa.  ix.  6,  is  involved  in 
great  difficulties  ;  but  "  I  shall  (said  he)  be  enabled,  by 
the  help  of  God,  to  give  you  the  true  meaning  of  the 
text.  In  this  verse  Hezekiah  and  Messiah  are  spoken 
of  again  :  "  A  child  is  born  unto  us,  the  son  of  Ahaz  ; 
Hezekiah  is  given  unto  us,  and  the  government  shall 
be  upon  his  shoulder,  and  (God)  shall  call  him  with  six 
names,  in  opposition  to  Sennacherib,  who  was  likewise 
called  with  six  names,  as  Nebusaraddon,  Salnianassar, 
and  so  on  ;  but  Hezekiah  shall  be  called  with  six  won- 
derful names  ;  I.  Wonderful,  for  he  did  wonderful  things, 
which  are  mentioned  2  Chron.  xxx.  18,  according  to 
which  the  Gemarah  says,  that  Hezekiah  stopped  the 
course  of  the  sun."  2.  Counselloi' :  When  Sennacherib 
came  up  against  all  the  defenced  cities  of  Judah,  and 
^vhen  Hezekiah  heard  it,  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  went  into 
the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  sent  to  Isaiah — and  the  Lord 
said  to  him,  "  The  virgin,  the  daughter  of  Zion,  hath 
despised  thee,"  &ic.  3.  God:  (^  i  )  Man  cannot  call  any 
one  God,  except  the  Lord  in  heaven  ;  but  God  himself 
may  call  with  that  name  ;  and  the  meaning  is,  that  that 
man  who  is  called  God  by  God  himself,  is  a  divine  man, 
which  may  be  proved  from  Gen.  xxxiii.  20.  "  And  he 
erected  there  an  altar,  and  called  it  *  El-Elohe  Israel," 
(God,  the  Lord  of  Israel.) 

Luther  translates  it ;  "  He  called  on  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel." 

Rabbi  Mendel's  translation  ;  "  And  the  Lord  of  Israel 
called  him  (viz.  Jacob)  6ro^,"  ver.  8.  "  Israel  was  de- 
prived of  the  kingdom  and  the  right  of  jurisdiction,  and 
by  his  generation  (the  gentile  world  "H"  ;)  how  much 
was  Israel  cast  to  the  ground  !  (t'lp.  u  )  he  was  banished 
out  of  the  land  of  the  living,  from  the  land  of  Canaan, 
for  the  transgression  of  my  people."  1  interrupted  him, 
and  asked.  Who  was  banished  for  my  people,  the  peo- 
ple of  God  ^  Rabbi  Mendel  became  rather  an^ry  ;  as 
soon  as  1  observed  it,  1  broke  ojff.     Mendel  continued  : 


251 

*'  He  made  his  grave  with  the  wicked,  for  poor  Israel  is 
buried  out  of  the  land  of  promise,  and  with  the  rich  in 
his  death  ;  the  rich  is  the  \  -in  "13,  ,  the  wicked  one."  I 
said  to  hirn,  that  the  word  n;;j.?  never  signifies  a  king- 
dom ;  that  the  expression,  "  taken  out  of  the  land  of  the 
living,"  indicates  the  death  of  that  man,  which  agrees 
with  the  whole  contents  of  the  chapter  :  "  he  has  pour- 
ed his  soul  unto  death  ;"  also,  as  soon  as  we  assume  the 
right  of  altering  the  text,  to  say,  that  "  the  rich"  means 
a  wicked  one,  we  cannot  rely  upon  the  fact  related  in 
Moses. 

Rabbi  M.  God  forbid  !  but  those  expressions  which 
cannot  be  und^stood  literally,  must  be  taken  figurative- 
ly :  Tell  me  the  meaning  of  the  expression,  "  with  the 
rich  in  his  death  ?" 

A  rich  man  of  Arimathea,  named  Joseph,  who  also 
himself  was  Jesus's  disciple,  went  to  Pilate  and  begj^ed 
the  body  of  Jesus  ;  and  then  Pilate  commanded  the  body 
to  be  delivered. 

Rabbi  M.  Apply  the  whole  chapter  to  Jesus. 

The  Lord  enabled  me  to  do  so,  and  rabbi  Mende! 
was  not  able  to  cor.tradict  one  sifigle  word.  Almost  all 
the  disciples  of  rabbi  Mendel  called  on  me  in  the  after- 
noon, and  read  in  the  New  Testament  more  than  an 
hour.  Whilst  they  were  reading,  Abraham,  the  son  of 
Jeremiah,  called  on  me,  a  young  rabbi,  sixteen  years  of 
age,  but  already  four  years  married.  The  other  called 
him  a  holy  child,  on  account  of  his  never  having  seen  the 
land  of  strangers,  for  he  was  born  at  Jerusalem.  Isaac 
Ben  Solomon  observed,  that  those  who  are  born  at  Jeru- 
salem observed,  that  those  who  are  born  at  Jerusalem 
enjoy  great  privileges  ;  for  as  soon  as  he  siimeth,  the 
Lord  punishes  him  immediately  with  sickness,  ti.at  he 
may  not  punish  him  in  the  future  world.  I  showea  them 
Malachi  i.  8.  and  Matt,  viii.  1 1. 

March  29.  Friday. — Called  again  on  rabbi  Mendel, 
and  desired  him  to  give  me  his  opinion  of  Isaiah  vii. 
10^15,  and  ix.  6;  "A  child  is  born,"  &ie.  Rabbi 
Mendel  replied  to  me,  "  Hezrkiah  vvas  calUd  ./l/i^/;7t/, 
for  he  was  strong  iu  the  coniidence  ol  tlie  Loid  j  he  re- 


252 

moved  the  high  places,  and  brake  the  images,  &c.     3, 
Father  of  the  everlasting  age  ;  he  was  the  spiritual  father 
of  Israel,  for  he  protected  them,   so  that  they  read   the 
Torah  in  safety,  day  and  night.     And  he  was  thefather 
of  the  everlasting  age,  for  there  was  not  such   a  king  af- 
ter him,  nor  any  such  before  him,  and   there    shall   not 
be  such  a  one  until  the  arrival  of  the  Messiah.  6.  Prince 
of  Peace  ;  for  he  was  a  prince  by  whom  peace   was  es- 
tablished in  Israel ;  and  we  find  further  the  words,  "  Of 
the  increase  of  his  government  there  shall  be  no  end ;'' 
we  meet  with  a  final     in  the  midst   of  the  word  n^"  o"?, 
and  a  mystery  is  hidden  in  it,  viz  God  intended  to  make 
Hezekiah  the  Messiah  of  Israel,  and  appointed  Senna- 
cherib as  Gog  and  Magog;  but  justice  Interfered,  and 
said  to  God,  "Why  will  you   make  Hezekiah    the  Mes- 
siah of  Israel,  after  that   you    have    appointed    David.'* 
and  God  therefore  made   a  stop   to    his  design,  and  for 
reason  n::"|L^  is  written  with  a  c   final."     Rabbi  Men- 
del showed  me  this  abominable    opinion   in   Sanhedrin, 
page  94. 

Rabbi  Mendel  continued  to  say,  "  I  have  confessed  it 
before  the  Jews,  and  I  tell  it  freely  to  you,  that  there 
shall  be  a  happy  time  for  the  Jews,  when  the  Messiah 
shall  arrive,  for  the  poor  Jews  will  no  longer  tear  their 
clothes  for  sorrow,  and  the  wails  of  Jerusalem  shall  be 
built  again  ;  but  I  confess  sinc»^rely,  that  these  promises 
would  not  induce  me  to  pray  so  ardently  that  M«-ssiah 
may  come,  for  it  is  well  that  the  poor  Jews  should  serve 
the  Lord  even  in  affliction;  but  one  promise  is  given  to 
us,  and  on  account  of  that  promise,  Israel  ought  to  pray, 
and  on  that  account  I  pray  Jiat  the  Messiah  may  soon 
come ;  and  that  promise  is,  that  the  glory  of  the  Ltord 
shdll  be  revealed, .^^ 

Joseph,  the  son  of  Sachariah,  (Joseph  Smaria)  one 
of  the  principal  rabbies  of  the  Spanish  Jews,  rabbi 
Abraham  Ben  Reuben,  and  rabbi  Mose  Secot,  entered 
my  room. 

I  can  make  nothing  of  rabbi  Abraham  Ben  Reuben, 
for  the  answer  he  gives  me  is  this,  *'  My  own  soul,  and 
the  souls  of  ail  the  Jews,  stood  upon  mount  Sinai  on  ilif 


253 

day  that  God  ^ave  the  law  by  Moses,  I  cannot,  there- 
fore, deviate  from  that  law."  Rabbi  Joseph  Ben  Sac- 
hariah  read  the  New  Testament  whilst  he  was  in  my 
room. 

March  30. — Called  on  rabbi  Joseph  Ben  Wolf,  a  gen- 
tleman eiglity  years  of  age.  He  tried  to  weaken  my 
faith  by  reading  with  me  in  More  Nebuhim,  composed 
by  rabbi  Moses  Ben   >/«aimon. 

JJarch  31. — 1  perceive  that  I  must  permit  the  Jews 
sometimes  to  appeal  to  their  Talmud,  that  1  may  gain 
their  confidence,  and  argue  with  them  upon  their  own 
ground.  I  therefore  prayed  the  Lord  fur  his  assistance, 
for  I  am  not  practised  in  Talmudical  subtleties,  but  I 
hope  the  power  of  the  Lord  will  help  me.  I  called 
again  on  rabbi  Mendel,  and  showed  him  that  rabbi  Da- 
vid Kimchi  derives  Jithv  ^^'^"^  i^^T,  conceal,  by  which 
it  IS  clear  that  it  does  signify  virgin  ;  and  it  is  used  as 
virgin,  Gen.  xxiv.  43  ;  Exodus  ii.  8  ;  Psalm  Ixviii.  20  • 
Prov.  XXX.  19.  And  to  convince  rabbi  Mendel  that 
the  English  translators  have  translated  Gen.  xxxiii.  20, 
properly,  "  And  he  called  it  El,"  he,  I  showed  him  the 
explanation  of  rabbi  Solomon  Isaac  upon  that  passage  : 
He  says,  that  Jacob  called  the  altar  by  that  name,  to 
indicate  that  God  manifested  himself  to  him  upon  that 
altar.  I  then  asked  Rabbi  Mendel  what  his  opinion  is 
ofnjxnr'in  the  similitude  of  God,  which  Moses  saw. 
He  replied,  that  God  manifested  to  him  the  mystery  of 
the  characters,  ,  n,  %  and  a 

/.  1  believe  that  the  xMessiah  was  that  similitude  of 
God.  -^ 

J  asked  him  about  Haggai  ii.  7 — 9. 

Rabhi  M.  The  desire  of  all  nations,  is  as  much  as  to 
say,  the  treasures  of  gold  and  silver  belonging  to  all  the 
nations.  He  broke  off  the  very  moment  he'said  this, 
and  added ;  *'  1  have  already  told  you  the  reason  for 
which  we  ought  to  expect  the  Messiah,  viz.  that  then  ihe 
glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  not  our  own  glory 
—for  what  are  we  ?  nothing  but  poor  creatures,  dust  of 
the  earth,  with  breath  in  our  nostrils.     Moses,  our  mas- 

22 


254 

t^r,  (peace  be  upon  him  !)  he  himself  said  to  God:  fPTio 
am  IT' 

I,  If  you  would  read  the  New  Testament,  you  will 
find  that  it  suits  your  feeling,  for  Christ  and  his  disci- 
ples spake  thus  of  the  duty  of  giving  all  the  glory  to 
God,  and  of  our  own  insufficiency. 

Rabbi  Mendel  replied,  that  1  might  bring  him  a  copy 
of  the  New  Testament. 

An  old  Jew,  Solomon  Ben  Abraham,  entered  the 
room,  and  showed  me  Num.  xxiv.  23,  "  Alas,  who  shall 
live  when  God  doeth  this  !"  Rabbi  Solomon  translates 
it,  "  Alas,  who  shall  live  when  he  makes  himself  God  !" 
J  told  him,  that  the  last  verb  is  not  in  Hithpael ;  second- 
ly, Christ  did  not  testify  of  himself,  for  he  was  declared 
by  a  voice  from  heaven  as  the  Son  of  God. 

Rabbi  Isaac  Ben  Solomon,  Abraham  Ben  David,  and 
Sachariah  Ben  Joseph,  accompanied  me  to  my  room  ; 
they  remained  almost  the  whole  day  with  me,  and  read 
the  New  Testament.  I  told  them  that  I  was  much  edi- 
fied by  some  observations,  I  heard  to-day  from  rabbi 
Mendel,  for  they  entirely  agreed  with  the  principles  of 
the  New  Testament.  Rabbi  Joseph  Ben  Sachariah 
called  likewise;  rabbi  Joseph  Smaria,  a  very  learned 
and  respectable  Jew,  entered  my  room  with  the  greatest 
joy,  and  said,  "I  have  now  found  a  reply  to  your  cita- 
tion of  Genesis  xlix.  10;"  he  then  showed  me  the  inter- 
pretation of  that  prophecy  in  the  book  of  rabbi  Lip- 
man. 

Rabbi  Lipman  translates  ^2"^  and  pp^tT,  "  chastise- 
ment." and  justifies  it  by  Exod.  xxi.  20,  and  Numb, 
xxi.  18.  1  showed  Rabbi  Joseph,  that  Numb.  xxi.  18, 
proves  the  contrary. 

Several  Greek  hoys,  very  poor  indeed,  requested  Ai'a- 
hie  Gospels  and  Bibles  ;  I  was  not  able  to  comply,  my 
trunks  not  having  arrived  from  Damietta.  1  sold  them 
seven  Arabic  Psalters  for  forty  barras  (one  piastre.)  I 
gave  twenty  Arabic  Psalters  to  Moses  Secot  to  sell  to 
Christians,  and  ten  Psalters  to  Isaac  Ben  Solomon. 

April  I. — I  gave  twenty  Arabic  Psalters  to  the  Jew, 
Abraham  Ben  David,  to  sell ;  he   sold   them    in  a  mo- 


25g 

inent  to  Musselmen,  and  brought  me  the  money  for 
them.  I  sold  this  morning,  before  I  arose  from  my  bed, 
eighteen  Arabic  PsaUers  at  ten  barras  a  piece  ;  two 
Greek  New  Testaments  for  one  piastre;  a  Greek  New 
Testament  to  a  poor  man  for  thirty-six  barras  ;  also 
four  otlier  Greek  Sew  Testaments  for  two  piastres.  An 
Armenian  asked  for  Turkish  Bibles,  written  in  Arme- 
nian characters.  Sold  two  Syriac  New  I  estaments  by 
Abraham  Ben  David,  for  two  piastres.  The  old  Greek 
priest,  Jacobus  Jerusalemiianus,  requested  Persian, 
Greek,  and  Arabic  Bibles  and  Testaments.  Several 
other  Armenian  gentlemen  called  for  Bibles  and  Testa- 
ments. 

It  has  been  fortunate  that  I  gave  Arabic  Psalters,  and 
Greek  and  Sjriac  New  Testaments,  to  Jews  to  sell,  for 
they  sold  them  to  Mussulmen;  and  those  Christians 
who  were  jealous,  and  did  not  like  to  see  the  New  Tes- 
tament in  their  hands,  came  to  me  in  the  Armenian  con- 
vent— priests,  merchants,  peasants,  children,  poor  and 
rich,  so  that  more  than  300  persons  came  at  once  to  me, 
and  the  members  of  the  convent  desired  me  to  give  all 
my  New  Testaments  and  Psalters  to  the  charge  of  the 
dragoman  of  the  patriarch,  who  carried  my  cases  of 
Testaments  and  Psalters  in  the  public  street,  near  the 
gate  of  the  convent,  and  in  this  way  I  sold  150  Arabic 
Psalters,  and  fifty  Greek  New  Testaments,  in  less  than 
half  an  hour:  besides  this,  I  gave  fifty  Arabic  Psalters, 
in  the  presence  of  Procopius,  to  a  Greek  priest,  called 
Petrus  Jesus,  to  give  gratis  to  poor  Greeks.  I  was  obli- 
ged to  go  the  second  time  to  Procopius,  to  supply  me 
with  100  Greek  Testaments,  and  the  same  number  of 
Arabic  Psalters,  the  whole  of  which  the  dragoman  sold 
for  fifty-two  piastres.     I  got  160  piastres  for  the  whole. 

The  dragoman  of  the  patriarch  brought  me  the  mon- 
ey, and  told  me,  that  a  Mussulman  riding  upon  an  ass, 
passed  the  gate  of  the  convent,  and  seeing  the  crowd  of 
Christians  who  bought  the  books,  stopped  near  the  gate, 
and  bought  one  Psalter,  and  sitting  as  he  was,  read  it 
in  the  presence  of  all  the  people.  Two  Spanish  Jews 
called  on  me,  and  the  Lord  enabled  me  to  preach  to 
them  the  great  doctrine,   that  Jesus  is  the  Redeemer  of 


256 

our  souls — the  Son  of  God — God  over  all — blessed  for 
ever  ! 

Rabbi  Joseph  Wolf  called  on  me,  and  said  that  he 
would  teach  me  the  whole  Cabbala,  if  I  were  disposed 
to  spend  three  nights  with  him  in  his  house.  He  shew- 
ed me  the  origin  of  the  Cabbala  in  Exodus  iv.  19 — 21, 
each  one  of  these  three  verses  containing  in  the  He- 
brew, seven  characters,  which  constitute  the  Shem  Ham- 
forash. 

April  2. — Procopius  gave  me  a  letter  of  introduction 
to  the  superior  of  the  convent  of  St.  Saba,  three  hours 
journey  beyond  Bethlehem  ;  and  the  patriarch  of  the 
Armenian  convent  gave  me  letters  of  introduction  to  the 
guardian  of  the  Armenian  convent  in  Bethlehem,  and 
sent  Pater  Paolo  Tiutiungi  with  me,  to  whom  he  con- 
signed the  keys  to  all  the  rooms  of  the  convent  of  Beth- 
lehem, that  every  thing  might  be  shewn  me.  A  peasant 
of  Bethlehem  met  us  on  the  road,  and  besought  me  to 
give  him  Arabic  Psalters  and  Gospels  :  when  I  told  him 
that  my  trunks  were  not  arrived  from  Damietta,  he  de- 
sired me  to  receive  his  money,  that  I  might  not  forget 
to  send  him  the  books  as  soon  as  they  should  arrive  at 
Jerusalem,  an  offer  which  I  did  not  accept.  The  supe- 
rior of  the  Armenian  convent  at  Bethlehem  received  me 
very  kindly,  and  asked  me,  with  a  humility  which  made 
me  blush,  the  explanation  of  several  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture. Several  of  the  laity  of  the  Armenian  persuasion 
were  present ;  every  one  of  them  believed,  and  expres- 
sed a  determination  of  reading  the  Scriptures  every  day. 
Pater  Paolo  Tiutiungi  read  the  xviith  chap,  of  St.  John 
to  his  countrymen,  in  an  old  Venice  edition  of  the  Ar- 
menian Bible.  I  then  went  to  the  place  where  the  babe 
was  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a  manger — 
that  babe  which  by  angels  was  adored.     I  read  Luke  ii. 

April  4. — Went  to  the  convent  of  the  Greeks,  called 
St.  Saba,  where  1  stopped  one  night,  and  preached  the 
Gospel  in  Arabic  to  the  superior  of  the  convent  :  he 
made  me  a  present  of  two  Greek  Psalters  in  manuscript, 
and  one  in  print. 

April  5. — Returned  to  Bethlehem.  The  guardian 
made  me  a  present  of  the  Liturgy  of  the  Armenian  na- 


257 

tion.     I  returned  to  the  Armenian   convent  at  Jerusa- 
lem, and  waited  on  the  patriarch. 

Jipril  6. — Met  with  rabbi  Solomon,  the  disciple  of 
rabbi  Mendel,  whom  I  knew  when  at  Cairo  ;  he  embra- 
ced me  before  all  the  people. 

I  called  on  the  Caraites,  and  explained  to  them  Jer, 
xxxi.  31 — 34,  and  read  with  them  Matt.  vi.  in  Hebrew. 
My  mind  was  very  much  cast  down.  Alone  in  this 
wide  world  !  exposed  to  manifold  dangers  in  spirit  and 
in  body  !  Lord  Jesus,  look  down  from  heaven,  and  have 
mercy  upon  me,  and  upon  thy  poor  people  Israel !  The 
Easter  days  have  arrived,  but  I  cannot  conscientiously  go 
to  church,  and  bow  down  before  so  much  mockery.  I 
have  publicly  declared  among  my  brethren  according 
to  the  flesh,  that  I  consider  the  ceremonies  of  the  Chris- 
tians at  Jerusalem  as  idolatrous,  and  1  never  shall  ac- 
commodate myself  to  them. 

April  7. — Called  on  rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Menahem, 
who  received  me  very  kindly,  but  declined  speaking 
with  me  about  religion.  Rabbi  Mendel  was  to-day 
more  than  usually  confused  and  ardent  in  his  arguing, 
but  he  nevertheless  said  to  me,  that  knowing  that  I  was 
once  a  Jew,  he  would  be  more  kind  to  me  than  before 
he  knew  it,  and  that  he  will  sometimes  give  me  an  apple 
to  eat,  on  which  I  must  ask  a  blessing.  1  told  him  that 
I  may  well  do  this,  for  the  New  Testament  tells  me, 
whether  we  eat  or  drink,  we  must  do  all  to  tlie  glory  of 
God.  I  then  offered  to  tind  the  New  Testament,  and 
besought  him  to  read  it,  and  write  down  his  opinion  of 
it :  he  did  not  take  it  readily,  but  as  he  has  taken  it,  and 
promised  to  read  it,  I  hope  the  grace  of  the  Lord  will 
enlighten  Wis  prejudiced  heart, 

April  8. — Pater  Paolo  Tiutiungi,  whom  my  friends 
will  see  in  England,  spoke  with  me  to-day  very  serious- 
ly about  the  spiritual  concerns  of  his  nation,  and  told 
me  that  the  English  nation  may  be  a  great  blessing  to 
the  Armenians,  if  they  will  establish  an  Englisli  college 
and  a  church  at  Constantinople,  and  send  a  missionary 
thither  who  preaches  the  pure  Gospel.  1  ask,  who  is 
better  qualified  for  such  a  mission  than  Pater  Paolo  Ti- 

22^ 


258 

utiungi,  after  that  in  England,  by  the  grace  of  God,  he 
shall  have  acquired  an  enlarged  experience  of  the  know- 
ledge and  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  knowledge  of 
the  English  tongue  ?  Rabbies  Solomon,  Isaac,  and 
Abraham  called  to-day  on  me ;  I  argued  with  them 
three  hours.  I  visited  a  sick  Jew,  at  which  he  was  very 
much  rejoiced. 

<Jipril  9. — Preached  the  Gospel  to  rabbi  Abraham 
more  than  an  hour;  he  was  very  attentive  indeed,  and 
seemed  to  be  touched  very  much. 

April  10. — Went  in  the  company  of  Pater  Paolo 
Tiutiungi,  and  a  Catholic,  to  see  the  Convents  of  the 
Copts,  and  the  habitation  of  an  Abysshiian  priest. 

Jipril  11. — Called  on  rabbi  Solomon.  His  wife, 
Abraham  Ben  Jeremiah,  his  son-in-law,  and  his  son 
rabbi  Isaac,  desired  me  vehemently  to  turn  to  Judaism, 
and  to  burn  the  New  Testament ;  to  let  m^  beard  grow, 
not  to  eat  swine's  flesh,  and  to  marry  a  Jewess. 

/.  Dear  friends,  you  know  that  1  love  the  Jews,  but 
I  am  now  alone  with  you,  and  no  Christian  hears  us. 
I  declare,  even  before  you,  that  I  believe  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth is  the  true  Messiah.  I  may  accommodate  myself 
to  you  in  many  things  :  just  as  St.  Paul  and  Peter  did. 
I  am  willing  to  let  my  beard  grow,  to  wash  my  hands 
before  I  eat,  yea,  even  perform  all  those  prayers  of  the 
J»-ws  which  are  according  to  Moses  and  the  prophets; 
but  I  must  always  tell  you,  that  I  do  not  believe  I  shall 
be  justified  before  God  by  performing  certain  prayers, 
or  by  washing  my  hands,  but  by  faith  in  the  Messiah, 
who  is  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  We  must  look  upon  him, 
whom  we  have  pierced,  and  mourn.  "  Abraham  be- 
lieved in  the  Lord,  and  he  counted  it  to  him  for  righte- 
ousness." 1  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord  and  Sav- 
iour. 

Bathsheba,  the  wife  of  Rabbi  Solomon.  We  will  give 
you  the  books  of  the  rabbies ;  read  in  them  and  yoii 
will  be  persuaded. 

/.  I  shall  read  them  with  the  greatest  interest,  and 
acknowledge  every  thing  as  truth  which  I  find  agreeing 
Willi  Moses  and   the  prophets;  but  Christ  Jesus  is  too 


259 

deeply  in  my  heart.  No  book  can  take  him  out  of  me. 
Read  the  New  Testament  that  1  vviil  give  you,  and  you 
will  be  persuaded  that  Christ  has  commanded  us  to  do 
nothing  against  the  prophets. 

Rabbi  Solomon  and  his  wife.  We  -are  now  going  to 
dinner,  we  beg  you  to  dine  with  us. 

/.    With  great  pleasure. 

Rabbi  Solomon.  Wash  your  bands  before  you  go  to 
dinner. 

I  immediately  washed  my  hands. 

Rabbi  Solomon.  Perform  that  prayer  which  we  per- 
form as  often  as  we  arp  washing  our  hands. 

1  did  not  remember  the  contents  of  that  prayer,  and 
desired  them  first  to  recite  tlie  prayer. 

Rabbi  Solomon  and  his  wife.  We  say  thus,  '  Blessed 
be  thou,  O  Lord,  our  God,  King  of  the  world,  who  hast 
sanctified  us  with  thy  commandments,  and  hast  com- 
manded us  to  wasii  the  hands. 

/.  1  cannot  recite  that  prayer,  for  the  Lord  has  not 
given  us  that  commandment,  it  is  neither  to  be  found  in 
Moses  nor  in  the  prophets. 

Rabbi  Solomon.  Do  us  the  pleasure  to  perform  our 
prayer  when  we  break  the  bread. 

1  remembered  the  prayer,  and  immediately  said  with  a 
loud  voice,  "  Blessed  be  thou,  O  Lord,  our  God,  king 
of  the  worlds,  who  hast  brouglit  forth  the  bread  from 
the  earth." 

i^fter  dinner  was  over,  1  said  to  them.  Allow  me  now 
to  tell  you  the  prayer  which  I  often  say  at  home;  and 
I  said  in  Hebrew,  '  Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven, 
hallowed  be  thy  name,  &ic.' 

Rabbi  Solomon  and  all  the  Jews  present.  Exceeding- 
ly fine,  exceedingly  beautiful  ! 

1.  And  this  prayer  is  to  be  found  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

No  answer  followed.  They  reproached  me  with  hav- 
ing transgressed  the  command  of  Moses,  by  not  having 
taken  a  wife.  They  cited  Gen.  i.  29,  ii.  18.  I  replied, 
that  I  intended  to  marry  as  soon  as  the  Lord  gave  me  a 
wife  who  not  only  loves  me,  but  the  Lord  above  all. 


266 

Rabbi  Mendel  sent  for  me  while  I  conversed  with 
rabbi  Solomon.  1  went  to  him  ;  he  was  already  wait- 
ing for  me  at  the  door  of  his  room. 

Rabbi  Mendel,  I  am  grieved  to  see  a  Jew  who  has 
left  the  law  of  our  ancestors ;  and  every  Jew  must  be 
grieved. 

/.  1  have  not  left  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  but  the 
tradition  of  the  elders  only  ;  1  believe  in  the  Messiah  of 
Israel,  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth  !  no  worldly  view  has  indu- 
ced me  to  embrace  that  belief. 

Rabbi  Mendel.  We  Jews  in  Poland  have  a  proverb  ; 
The  wicked  one  draws  a  Jew  after  him  to  London,  but 
as  soon  as  the  Jew  is  arrived  in  London,  the  Jew  draws 
the  wicked  one  after  him. 

I.  The  Jews  have  many  friends  among  the  Gentiles 
in  London. 

Rabbi  Mendel  Those  marks  of  friendship  are  only 
nets  to  catch  poor  Israel.  Solomon  (peace  be  unto 
him  !)  said,  (Eccl.  xii.  11.)  ''  The  words  of  the  wise  are 
as  goads,  and  as  nails  fastened  by  the  masters  of  assem- 
blies, which  are  given  from  one  Shepherd,"  and  this 
verse  is  most  exactly  explained  (rabbi  Mendel  took 
forth  the  Talmud)  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  Gemarah 
of  Hagiga  :  there  it  is  said,  '  Why  are  the  words  of  the 
Torah  compared  to  a  goad,  which  directs  an  ox  upon 
his  way  .^'  (the  Gemarah  understands  by  ri^Ti,  not  goad, 
but  an  instrument  by  which  an  ox  is  directed  upon  his 
way.)  The  Torah  leads  us  from  the  way  of  death  to 
the  way  of  life  ;  and  the  Torah  is  compared  to  branches, 
(for  the  rabbies  translate  again,  n;*^L^t.,  not  nails,  but 
branches,)  which  bring  forth  fruits  and  multiply  them  ; 
for  the  disciples  of  the  wise,  the  rabbies,  sit  down  toge- 
ther, and  are  labouring  very  hard  indeed  about  the  sense 
of  the  Torah  :  These  are  saying,  It  is  not  permitted : 
and  others  again,  It  is  permitted.  Those  say.  It  is  false  ; 
and  the  others  say,  It  is  right.  But  all  that  is  planted  from 
one  Shepherd,  from  one  Father  ;  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  are  all  works,  blessed  be  he  !  For  it  is  written, 
"  And  the  Lord  spake  all  these  words,"  Incline  thine 


261 

ear  and  lieart  to  obey  the  words  of  those  who  say,  "  It 
is  unclean."  and  the  words  of  those  wlio  say,  '*  It  is 
clean,"  and  the  words  of  those  who  say,  "  It  is  not  per- 
mitted," and  the  words  of  those  who  say,  "  It  is  permit- 
ted," and  the  words  of  those  who  say,  "  ft  is  false,"  and 
the  words  of  those  who  say,  "  Jt  is  rii^ht." 

And  (rabbi  Mendel  continued)  what  p^rcat  wisdom  is 
to  be  found  in  the  Talmud  !  They  know  well  the  works 
of  the  Lord,  the  nature  of  the  sun  and  the  stars,  which 
we  must  well  know,  for  it  is  written,  "  The}^  regard  not 
the  works  of  the  Lord,  neither  consider  the  operations  of 
his  hands,"  Isaiah  v.  12.  The  rabbies  taught  us,  that 
we  must  exclaim,  at  such  and  such  hour  of  the  sun  ris- 
ing, "  Hear,  O  Israel ;  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lt)rd  !" 
and  the  rabbies  have  taught  us  to  exclaim,  at  the  time 
of  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  "  Hear,  O  Israel ;  the 
Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord  !" 

My  heart  does  not  permit  to  write  down  the  blasphe- 
mies which  Rabbi  Mendel  after  this  speech  spoke  of 
Jesus  Christ,  who  is,  in  despite  of  all  the  rabbinical 
subtleties,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  Rabbi  Mendel 
has  not  yet  looked  into  the  New  Testament.  I  asked 
him,  by  what  signs  will  you  know  that  the  Messiah, 
whom  you  expect,  will  be  the  true  one  .'*  Rabbi  Mendel 
said.  Not  by  his  working  miracles;  but  we  shall  see 
that  he  will  build  us  a  temple,  and  observe  the  law  of 
Moses  and  our  traditions.  He  then  confessed,  during  our 
conversation,  that  the  Talmudists  do  not  agree  with 
each  other  in  respect  to  the  Messiah  Ben  Jt)seph  ;  some 
say  that  no  Messiah  at  all  will  be  killed,  but  the  devil ; 
and  that  God  has,  some  centuries  ago,  killed  the  devil 
or  bad  principle,  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem  ;  but  the  con- 
sequence has  been,  that  not  one  single  egg  was  brought 
forth  by  the  hens,  and  God  did,  therefore,  raise  again  the 
devil  from  the  dead  ;  for  he  saw  that  the  world  could  not 
exist  without  the  bad  principle  ;  tbr  joy  and  intercourse 
botvveen  husband  and  wife  would  cease  if  the  bad  prin- 
ciple no  longer  existed.  I  confessed  candully  to  Rabbi 
Mendel,  that  there  is  so  a)u(  h  nonsense  in  the  Talmud, 
that  no  reasonable  man  will  ever  accept  its   authority. 


26^ 

And  that  we  must  believe  in  the  Son  of  God,  is  clear, 
from  Psalm  ii.  "  Thou  art  my  Son  ;  ''  Kiss  the  Son  ;" 
"Blessed  are  those  who  trust  in  him!"  But  Rabbi 
Mendel  has  the  fault  of  always  interrupting  me,  espe- 
cially when  persons  are  present. 

Solomon  Ben  Abraham,  an  old  Jew,  (not  the  above- 
mentioned  Solomon,)  entered  the  room,  and  said  in  a 
rough  and  angry  manner  to  rabbi  Mendel,  that  he  should 
not  speak  with  me,  for  1  came  here  to  dissuade  the  Jews 
from  keeping  their  law.  Rabbi  Mendel  told  me,  that  I 
should  not  take  notice  of  that  gentleman's  words.  I 
shall  go  to  rabbi  Mendel  the  day  after  to-morrow,  and 
show  him  by  Exod.  xiv.  21,  to  the  end,  and  by  1  Kings 
xviii.  39,  that  God  persuades  men  by  miracles  of  the 
divine  message  of  the  servant  of  God  ;  and  that  the 
Messiah  was  to  do  miracles,  I  shall  show  rabbi  Mendel, 
by  Isa.  XXXV.  5,  6. 

April  13. — Went  to  the  holy  sepulchre.  Oh,  what 
gross  idolatry  and  imposture  is  practised  near  that  place 
where  thou  didst  say  to  the  woman,  "  Why  seek  ye  him 
who  liveth,  among  the  dead  ?" 

April  14. — The  Polish  Jews  residing  in  Jerusalem, 
are  subdivided  into  three  parties;  1.  Into  Polish  Jews, 
who  acknowledge  over  them  the  authority  of  a  rabbi, 
who  resides  in  Poland.  2.  Into  Pharisees^  who  have 
separated  themselves  from  those  of  their  Polish  brethren, 
who  acknowledge  the  rabbi  in  Poland  ;  and  every  one 
of  these  considers  himself  a  rabbi,  and  rabbi  Mendel  as 
their  great  rabbi.  3.  Into  Hasidim,  who  pretend  to  be 
in  continual  communion  with  God,  and  live  a  very  strict 
life.  The  emnity  between  these  parties  is  so  great,  that 
the  Pharisee  strives  to  prevent  the  settlement  of  the  Po- 
lish party  in  Jerusalem;  and  the  Polish  that  of  the  Phari- 
sees ;  and  they  even  accuse  each  other  to  the  Turkish 
governor. 

[Here  follows  a  listof  names  of  Pharisees,  Polish  Jews, 
and  Hasidim,  residing  in  Jerusalem,  who  are  supported 
by  their  relatives  in  Poland  ;  and  also  of  some  of  the 
most  opulent  and  learned  Spanish  Jews.] 

No  Jew  lived  at  Jerusalem  in  the  time  of  the  Crusa- 


263 

ders.  It  is  the  general  belief  among  the  Rabbinists,  that 
the  Caraites  are  the  decendanis  of  the  disciples  of 
Sadok  and  Baytus^  viz.  the  descendants  of  the  Sad- 
ducees  mentioned  in  the  Gospel.  And  this  was  like- 
wise the  belief  of  the  ancient  rabbies.  See  rabbi  Jehuda 
Ben  Saul,  in  the  book  of  Kozri  composed  by  rabbi 
Isaac  Sengri,  and  Jehuda  Levi.  The  Caraites  protest 
against  it,  and  consider  themselves  as  disciples  of  Anan. 
Habbi  Mendel  mentioned  to  me  the  history  of  the  con- 
version of  a  Polish  Count,  Podozky  by  name;  he  turn- 
ed Jew,  and  was  committed  to  the  flames  by  the  inquisi- 
tion in  Wilna. 

Josephus  the  Jewish  historian,  does  not  stand  in  credit 
with  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  ;  they  consider  him  a  man  of 
the  world,  who  held  with  all  parties  and  sects.  But 
rabbi  Mendel  observed,  that  his  brother  Boni  Ben 
Gorioni  (for  so  they  call  Josephus  the  son  of  Gorion) 
was  so  great  a  saint,  that  they  called  him  JVakdimin,  tor 
the  sun  stood    still  one  day  at  his  prayer. 

^y'jpril  15. — I  laid  before  rabbi  Mendel  Exod.  xiv. 
21 — 31.  and  1  Kings  xviii.  39,  toconvince  him  that  mir- 
acles have  been  wrought  by  God  to  persuade  the  people 
of  God  that  it  was  the  l^ord's  work  ;  farther,  Isaiah 
XXXV,  5,  6,  to  prove  to  him  that  the  Messiah  was  to 
work  miracles.  And  to  prove  to  him  that  the  Messiah 
was  predicted  to  be  a  person  equal  with  God,  I  shewed 
to  him  Zech.  xiii.  7  ;  and  that  he  was  to  be  born  at 
Bethlehem,  laid  before  him  Micah  v.  1. 

Rabbi  Mendel.  Four  things  are  to  be  observed  in  ex- 
pounding the  Scripture. 

J .  The  plain  meaning  of  every  verse. 

2.  Upon  every  letter,  the  Torah  must  be  preached. 

3.  By  one  word  many  things  are  hinted  at. 

4.  The  Cabbala. 

Rabbi  Mendel  replied  to  Exod.  xiv.  21—31.  The 
Jews  lid  only  believe  for  that  moment  ;  but  they  said 
afterwards,  Moses  may  perhaps  have  bewitched  us  ;  for 
they  said,  Exodus  xviii.  7,  "Is  the  Lord  among  us  or 
not  i^"  And  the  Lord  himself  descended  from  heaven, 
in  order  that  they  might  be   convinced  tlial  Moses  did 


264 

not  do  that  miracle  by  witchcraft ;  and  that  they  may 
believe  for  ever. 

Rabbi  Mendel  went  on,"  1  Kings  xviii.  39.  Elijah 
said  twice,  *'  Hear  me,  O  Lord,  hear  me."  The  first 
"Aear  me,"  indicates  the  prayer,  that  God  may  perform 
a  miracle  ;  and  the  second  exclamation  of  ''  hear  we," 
signifies  tlie  prayer  of  Elijah  to  God,  that  God  may  in- 
cline the  heart  of  Israel  to  believe  that  that  miracle  was 
not  done  by  witclicraft,  but  by  the  hand  of  the  Lord. 

/.  Itjis  sorrowful,  rabbi  Mendel,  to  hear  you  so  dread- 
fully perverting  the  text,  the  clear  text  of  the  word  of 
God. 

Rabbi  Mendel.  We  must  accept  likewise  for  our 
guide  the  unwritten  word  of  God 

/.  There  is  not  in  the  written  word  of  God  one  single 
allusion  to  an  unwritten  word  of  God  ;  and  Deut.  iv.  2. 
proves  that  there  cannot  exist  another  Torah  besides  the 
Torah  written  down. 

Rabbi  Mendel.  It  is  alluded  to  in  Exodus  xxxiv-  27. 
"  after  the  tenor, ^^  (literally,  after  the  mouth.) 

I.  It  is    there  said,  "  Write    thou  these  words  ; 
for  after  the  tenor  of  these  words  (which   1   have  com- 
manded thee  TO   write)  I  have  made  a  covenant  with 
thee  and  with  Israel." 

Rabbi  Mendel  gave  no  answer  to  it,  and  replied  to 
Zech.  xiii.  7,  ''^Israel  is  called  the  fellow  of  God,  which 
is  clear  by  Psalm  cxxii.  8,  For  my  brethren  and  com- 
panions' sake." 

/.  David  said  this,  rabbi  Mendel.  You  pervert  the 
Torah  with  your  Talmudical  knowledge;  and  the  rab- 
bies  in  thp  time  of  Jesus  Christ  did  the  same,  and  he 
speaks  on  this  account  so  strongly  against  the  Phari- 
sees. Moses  and  the  propliets  are  turned  into  ridicule 
by  these  horrible  perversions  of  the  text.  How.  clear 
and  consistent  with  the  Torah  are  the  words  of  the  New 
Testament;  read  it,  and  you  shall  find  in  it  wisdom 
above  all  wisdom. 

April  16. — Rabbi  Reuben,  of  the  sect  of  the  Hasidim, 
a  gentleman  thirty-six  years  of  age,  born  at  Mohilev, 
and  rabbi  Abraham  Bqyi  David  Izkowish,  called  on  me 


265 

to-day.  He  spake  very  reasonably  indeed,  and  candid- 
ly, which  quickened  my  mind  again,  after  my  soul  had 
been  brought  into  great  sorrow  by  the  obstinacy  of  rab- 
bi Mendel.  Rabbi  Reuben  tried  to  answer  my  citation 
of  Genesis  xlix.  10,  by  Psalm  kxxix.  19.  to  the  end  of 
that  Psalm.  Rabbi  Reuben  then  agreed,  although  the 
sceptre  of  Judah  seems  to  be  departed,  our  hope  is  not 
gone.  I  convinced  him,  by  God's  help,  that  his  argu- 
ment was  not  conclusive.  Rabbi  Reuben  confessed 
that  it  cannot  be  denied  Jeremiah  has  predicted  a  new 
covenant,  and  a  covenant  not  according  to  the  covenant 
made  with  our  fathers.  Rabbi  Reuben  promised  to 
call  on  me  every  other  day,  and  converse  with  me;  he 
accepted  with  joy  a  Hebrew  New  Testament,  which  he 
promised  to  read  with  attention. 

Rabbi  Hirsh  Ben  Zara  called  on  me.  He  was  very 
weak  in  his  arguments,  and  confessed  candidly  that  he  is 
not  able  to  argue  with  me  ;  but  he  observed,  that  he 
does  not  doubt  a  moment  that  my  belief  in  Christ  is  sin- 
cere. 

The  young  Mordecai  Ben  Solomon,  whose  father  is 
at  present  in  England,  called  on  me.  He  is  only  four- 
teen years  of  age.  He  undertook  to  argue  with  me. 
Abraham  Ben  David,  who  is  the  whole  day  with  me, 
and  is  reading  tlie  New  Testament,  became  very  angry 
at  Mordecai's  boldness.  I  said  to  him,  "  Don't  hinder 
him  in  seeking  truth."  I  explained  to  him  Isaiah  liii. 
I  referred  all  the  Jews  who  called  on  me  to  day,  to  Isaiah 
xxix.  10 — 14.  Zechariah  xix.  10.  Isaiah  xlii.  19,  20. 
You  may  easily  perceive  that  Talmudical  religion  is,  as 
well  as  Popery,  the  mystery  of  iniquity.  May  the  angel 
which  redeemed  me  from  all  evil,  bless  Israel,  and  may 
the  light  of  his  countenance  shine  upon  poor  Israel. 

Called  this  evening  on  the  Patriarch  of  the  Armenians. 
Many  other  Armenian  gentlemen  were  present.  Several 
religious  conversations  about  Christian  love  and  union, 
and  the  absurdity  of  the  Pope's  pretensions,  took  place. 
Pater  Paoli  Tiutiungi  has  already  become  a  Missionary; 
he  argues  with  his  countrymen   about  the  truth  of  the 

23 


266 

Gospel.     I  pass  over  in  silence  the  idolatry  practised  in 
the  holy  sepulchre. 

April  1 7. — 1  called  on  the  aged  rabbi  Joseph,  the  son 
of  Wolf :  other  Jews  were  assembled  there.  They  told 
me  that  rabbi  Mendel  tried,  with  some  other  rabbies,  to 
pronounce  an  anathema  against  those  who  should  dare 
any  longer  to  argue  witli  me,  but  the  majority  of  them 
declared  that  they  would  not  in  any  case  take  notice  of 
the  anathema  of  the  rabbies.  Rabbi  Reuben  Hasid  has 
declared  publicly  that  he  is  reading  the  New  Testament 
to  examine  it,  and  to  tell  me  his  candid  opinion  about  it. 
Rabbi  Joseph,  the  son  of  Wolf,  began  then  to  argue 
with  me  ;  rabbi  Jekosiel,  from  Safet,  and  others  were 
present.  Rabbi  Joseph  said,  God  has  formed  Eve  of 
the  rib  of  Adam,  to  teach  us  that  a  woman  cannot  con- 
ceive without  a  man. 

I.  I  admit  that  it  cannot  be  in  a  natural  way ;  but 
God,  the  author  of  nature,  may  suspend  it,  for  the  ex- 
ecution of  his  purposes. 

Rahhi  Joseph.  God  performs  his  miracles  in  a  natural 
manner.  God  might  have  divided  the  waters  in  a  mo- 
ment, but  in  order  not  to  transgress  the  rule  of  nature, 
he  caused  the  sea  to  go  back  by  a  strong  east  wind,  all 
that  night. 

/.  1  admit  that  the  Lord  may  sometimes  perform  mi- 
racles in  a  natural  way,  and  by  using  natural  means, 
but  we  find  that  he  sometimes  did  the  contrary  ;  for  in- 
stance, when  Elisha  awoke  the  dead  child,  and  Elijah 
brought  down  fire  from  heaven.  As  the  first  Adam  was 
without  a  carnal  father,  so  was  to  be  the  second  Adam, 
Jesus  Christ,  who  was  to  bruise  Satan's  head,  and  to 
make  us  again  in  the  image  of  God,  and  by  his  having 
been  born  of  a  virgin,  Isaiah  vii.  14,  has  been  fulfilled. 

Rahhi  Joseph.  In  Solomon's  Song,  vi.  8.  nxSp  are 

concubines. 

/.  That  iTt^Sj.*  ai'e  not  concubines  is  clear  by  the  pre- 
ceding D^t^-S'^IS*  The  Pachas  in  the  East  educate  to  this 
day  virgins  m  their  Harem,  who  are  designed  for  their 
future  concuhines  or  wives  ;  but  till  that  time  they  are 
shut  up  and  hidden  from  every  male  }  they  are  n^t^S^*^ 


267 

Rabbi  Joseph,  son  of  Wolf,  was  completely  convin- 
ced, so  that  he  candidly  confessed  that  no  Jew  will  ever 
be  able  to  beat  me  by  arguments;  I  do  not,  however, 
believe  it,  and  hope  in  the  help  and  assistance  of  the 
Lord.  1  desired  rabbi  Joseph  to  look  at  the  interpre- 
tation of  Genesis  xlix.  10,  given  by  rabbi  Simon  Bar 
Johai  believes  manifestly  the  Messiah  was  to  be  a  divim 
personage — Jehovah  himself;  he  proves  it  in  a  cahbalis- 
tical  manner,  and  says,  that  the  two  letters  1  and  n  of 
wliich  the  name  of  God  is  composed,  are  to  be  found  in 
the  word  T-Src*. 

Rabbi  Jekosiel,  from  Safet,  a  young  gentleman,  ex- 
cused himself  with  the  plea  of  indisposition  for  not  being 
able  to  argue  witii  me  to-day. 

T  went  in  the  evening  to  the  old  rabbi  Joseph,  the  son 
of  Wolf,  where  I  met  with  the  learned  rabbi  Abraham 
Benjamin,  the  son  of  Shamja,  of  the  Polish  party,  and 
with  rabbi  Jekosiel ;  the  latter  of  Safet.  Rabbi  Abraham 
is  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  Hebrew,  Chaldee,  Ara- 
bic, and  German  tongues.  He  has  travelled  through 
Palestine,  Chaldea,  and  Curdistan,  and  has  been  in 
Haran.  He  said  to  me,  tliat  he  called  to  day  on  rabbi 
Joseph,  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  and  conversing 
with  me ;  he  is  a  rich  gentleman  ;  he  tells  me  there  are 
800  families  of  Jews  in  Beagad.  Rabbi  Joseph  the  son  of 
Wolf,  said  then.  Let  us  give  you  an  exposition  of  the 
Sohar,  composed  by  the  rabbi  Simon  Bar  Johai  ;  that 
rabbi  was  born  190  years  after  the  birili  of  Christ  in 
Palestine  ;  he  lived  twelve  years  in  a  cave,  where  he 
composed  his  mystic-philosophical  commentary  on  the 
five  books  books  of  Moses,  viz.  the  Sohar.  At  Miron, 
nenr  Safet,  is  his  grave — Jews  go  there  and  weep. 
The  whole  Sohar  is  written  in  the  Chaldee  tongue. 
Now  let  us  hear  rabbi  Joseph  :  Solomon's  Song,  ii.  2, 
A'^  the  rose  (not  lily)  among  thorns,  so  is  my  love  among 
the  daughters.  There  are  good  and  bad  roses,  and  there 
are  pious  and  wicked  Jews.  Every  good  rose  has  thir- 
teen  'paves  :  and  the  belief  in  God's  power,  which  was 
given  to  Israel,  and  presented  to  his  devout  considera- 
tion, was  expressed  in  thirteen  words,  winch  exist  from 


268 

the  word  Elohim,  of  Gen.  i,  1,  to  the  other  Elohim  of 
Genesis  i,  3,  and  as  the  thirteen  leaves  of  the  roses  are 
supported  by  five  green  leaves,  thus  the  inheritance 
of  Israel,  inherited  by  Abraham,  belief  in  God,  is  sup- 
ported by  the  five  books  of  Moses ;  and  there  are,  there- 
fore, five  words  from  Elohim,  Gen.  i.  2,  to  the  next  Elo- 
him of  Gen.  i,  2,  and  thus  the  light  begins  to  sprmg 
out  of  darkness,  "  Let  there  be  light."  Further,  a  rose 
has  forty-two  roots,  and  the  Shem  Hamforash  contains 
forty-two  characters. 

H'ltt'l^'l^  in  the  begimiing,  the  world  did  exist  from 
eternity  in  n  D^^T  Reshit,  in  the  will  and  power  of  God 
(^p^  0  2i"d  by  means  of  one  drop  the  whole  world,  by 
the  word  of  iri%  the  world  began  to  exist  in  reality  (in 
byS))  :  the  drop  is  formed  in  the  womb  of  the  pregnant 
mother  in  the  space  of  forty-two  days,  and  thus  the  world 
came  out  of  n  DKt  into  reality  by  the  power  of  the 
li'T'SlDn  Dtt^,  which  contains  forty-two  letters ;  as  long  as 
the  world  was  in  nil^'M  the  world  was  ^r\^^  ?nn  a  chaos. 
All  the  powers  prospered  in'  three  days.  Rabbi  Jo- 
seph made  an  interruption  in  his  exposition,  by  saying, 
I  know  that  you,  Mr.  Wolf,  think  that  thus  Christ  arose 
again  on  the  third  day ;  then  he  continued,  And  all 
things  prosper  now  on  the  third  day.  Man  was  created 
on  the  sixth  day,  and  the  law  was  given  to  Moses  on  the 
sixth  day  of  the  third  month;  for  man  is  not  man  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  divine  will — and  man  endowed  with 
the  knowledge  of  God  is  lights  and  he  is  cursed  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  the  light,  and  tif  t3  (Genesis  i. 
14,)  is  therefore  written  without  i  Cholem,  to  indicate 
light  and  curse. 

"  Let  us  make  the  man,^^  CIN*  TDJyJ  ;  Israel  answered 
not,  when  the  law  was  given  to  them,  "  All  that  (Exod. 
xxiv.  7,)  the  Lord  has  said,  will  we  hear  and  do  ; 
(make,  rk^J.3,J  but  they  answered,  "  All  that  the  Lord 
has  said  will  we  do  (make,  ntoy.V  ^"<^  hear,"  rtD'^ji 
nv^:  ;  for  men,  gone  out  of  the  hand  of  that  being  by 
the  word  of  nu^;,J,  "  ive  will  make^^   they  are  obliged  to 


269 

do,  to  MAKE  the  will  of  God,  without  examining  it  ;  and 
therefore,  before  the  Lord  pronounced  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments, they  exclaimed  n^/VJ,  ''We  will  make," 
(Exod.  xix.  8,)  and  that  faith  came  upon  Israel  by  the 
right  o^ inheritance  by  Abraham,  who  believed,  and  the 
Lord  counted  it  for  righteousness,  and  "  the  just  shall 
live  by  his  fdiih,"  Habakkuk  ii.  4.  The  same  has  been 
mightily  proved  by  St.  Paul. 

Rabbi  Joseph.  I  know  well  that  you  make  use  of  the 
Sohar,  and  of  all  our  writings,  in  order  that  ;  3u  may 
be  able  to  argue  with  us  upon  our  own  ground  ;  and  I 
am  persuaded  that  you  will  be  confirmed  in  your  belief 
by  the  writings  of  rabbi  Simon  Bar  Johai.  We  read 
together  till  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  slept  till 
four  upon  a  sofa,  in  the  house  of  rabbi  J.,  and  returned 
to  the  Armenian  convent. 

April  IS. — Rabbi  Reuben,  the  Ilasid,  and  Abraham 
Ben  David,  called  on  me.  Rabbi  Reuben  told  me  that 
he  has  read  a  great  part  of  the  New  Testament,  and  he 
had  now  to  ask  me  a  question  :  To  whom  did  the  Lord 
promise  that  sign,  tliat  the  virgin  shall  conceive  ? 

I.  To  the  house  of  David,  not  to  Ahaz. 

Rabbi  Reuben  did  not  expect  that  answer  ;  and  was 
not  able  to  go  on  with  his  argument.  He  observed,  tliat 
we  ought  to  believe  with  the  majority  of  Israel,  not  with 
those  few  only,  who  embrace  the  belief  in  the  Messiah- 
ship  of  Jesus;  for  whilst  3000  Jews  v^cre  converted  by 
Peter,  millions  of  Jews  did  not  believe. 

1.  Six  hundred  thousand  Jews,  who  left  Egypt,  died 
in  the  wilderness,  and  Caleb  Ben  Jephunne  and  Joshua 
only  entered  the  Land  of  Promise  ;  Elijah  did  still  adore 
Jehovah,  although  he  thought  that  he  was  left  alone  in 
Israel  ;  and,  among  the  millions  of  Jews  in  the  time  of 
Elijah,  7000  only  did  not  bow  their  knees  before  Baal. 
On  account  of  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews,  and  that  they 
did  thus  requite  the  Lord,  and  that  they  lightly  esteemed 
the  rock  of  his  salvation,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord,  has 
moved  them  to  jealousy  with  those  who  are  not  a  peo- 
ple, and  provoked  them  to  anger  with  a  foolish  nation. 
i  read  with  them  Rom.  x.  Acts  vii.  Jerem.  xxxi.  31 — 34, 

53^ 


270 

The  conversation  lasted  more  than  four  hours  ;  and 
rabbi  Reuben  told  me,  that  he  would  call  again  next 
Sunday,  and  show  me  by  the  Sohar,  the  present  expecta- 
tion of  the  Jews.  I  called  in  the  afternoon  on  the  Rev. 
Procopius.  1  have  partly  sold,  partly  given  gratis,  the 
following  quantity  of  the  Holy  Writ,  with  which  Proco- 
pius has  furnished  me. 

[Here  follows  an  account  of  Bibles,  Testaments,  and 
Psalters,  distributed.] 

I  received  to-day  a  very  kind  letter  from  the  Rev. 
Anton  Dakur,  Curate  in  the  nunnery  Dir  Albshara,  in 
mount  Lebanon,  who  requested  Bibles  and  Testaments 
in  Arabic  ;  and  writes  to  me  that  the  Most  Illustrious 
Luigi  Gandolfi,  Apostolic  Vicar  of  the  Pope,  residing 
in  Aintura,  has  forwarded  the  six  Arabic  New  Testa- 
ments and  Arabic  Psalters,  which  I  committed  to  him, 
when  at  Beyrout,  for  the  Bishops,  Ignatius  Ujuri,  and 
other  priests.  They  desire  likewise  to  have  the  fathers 
translated  into  Arabic.  It  might  be  very  useful  if  the 
Society  would  translate  the  work  of  Leander  van  Ess, 
which  contains  the  opinions  of  the  fathers  about  the 
reading  of  the  Holy  Bible.  1  could  then  distribute  the 
copies  among  the  Catholics  in  the  mountains  and  in  Da- 
mascus. 

tRpril  19. — Abraham,  the  son  of  David  Izkowish  Sti- 
fro,  from  Sklov,  who  calls  on  me  every  day,  confessed 
to-day  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  that  he  is  convinced  that 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God,  and  that  he  will  now  speak  with  his  wife  and  mo- 
ther about  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord.  We  prayed  together 
to  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  that  he  may 
send  his  grace  upon  his  wife,  mother,  and  brother,  that 
they  may  believe  in  Jesus  the  Messiah  of  Israel,  the  Son 
of  God  ;  we  read  together  for  two  hours  in  the  New- 
Testament,  Luke  iv.  Rom  iv.  v.  vii.  and  ixth  chapters. 
Abraham  read  for  himself  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians, 
and  that  of  St.  Jude.  He  observed,  that  the  expression 
DD  nriD^,  (St.  Jude,  verse  14.)  was  not  a  well  chosen 
word. 


271 

Michael,  a  Roman  Catholic,  called  on  me  this  after- 
noon, and  conversed  with  me  about  the  faith  ;  he  seemed 
to  believe  and  to  feel  all  that  I  said  to  liim  about  the 
true  conversion  of  the  heart  to  God,  which  is  necessary 
to  every  man. 

Dear  Friends,  Jerusalem,  March  12,  1822. 

April  21. — I  read  eleven  chapters  in  the  Gospel  of 
Matthew  with  Abraham  Ben  David.  The  governor  in- 
vited me  to  liis  house. 

April  22. — Spoke  with  Abraham  Ben  David  about 
faith  in  the  Lord.  Showed  him  the  parallel  passages  of 
Acts  XV.  10,  and  Ezekiel  xx.  25. 

April  23. — Read  the  whole  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the 
Hebrews  with  Abraham,  and  Psalm  ex.  I  spoke  with 
him  of  the  privileges  that  true  Christians  enjoy.  He 
perceives  completely  the  folly  of  the  Talmud.  Rabbi 
Mose  Secot  called  on  me,  and  argued  about  the  aboli- 
tion of  the  law.  I  prayed  to-day  with  Abraham  Ben 
David. 

April  24. — Rabbi  Mendel  argued  with  me  again  in 
the  presence  of  other  Jews  for  several  hours.  The  great 
rabbi,  Solomon  Ben  Menahem,  argued  very  candidly 
with  me  to-day.  Rabbi  Mendel  consigned  to  me  seve- 
ral letters,  to  forward  to  rabbi  Hirschel  the  High  Priest 
ill  London.  He  told  me  a  story  how  rabbi  Jehudah 
Hasid  one  day  forced  a  Jew,  called  Gedaliah,  to  be- 
come a  real  observer  of  the  law.  To  convince  rabbi 
Mendel  that  the  abolition  of  the  ceremonial  law  was  pre- 
dicted, I  showed  to  him  Psalm  xl.  6 — 8.  iv.  23.  li.  IG, 
17;  Isaiah  i.  10—18.  Ixvi.  2,  3;  Jer.  \ii.  21—23; 
Hosea  vi.  G  ;  Amos  v.  21 — 24.  1  asked  rabbi  Mendel, 
who  was  the  propliet  like  unto  Moses,  (Deut.  xviii.  15.) 
Rabbi  Mendel  replied  :  The  sense  is  not  that  the  Lord 
would  raise  up  a  prophet  who  may  be  equal  to  Moses, 
but  the  Lord  will  raise  up  one  who  is  by  profession  a 
prophet,  as  Moses  was  by  profession. 

.1  said  then.  It  ought  to  stand  ^'prophets,^^  not  apro- 
jphet:' 

Rabbi  Mendel.  Jeremiah   was  meant  by  it,  for  the 


272 

Jews  disobeyed  the  words  of  Jeremiah,  as  they  disobey- 
ed the  orders  of  Moses. 

/.  Tlien  let  us  hearken  unto  Jeremiah,  and  accept 
that  new  covenant  which  he  has  predicted.  (Jeremiali 
xxxi.  31—34.) 

Rabbi  Mendel  then  went  to  the  synagogue.  When  I 
left  his  room,  rabbi  Bezaleel  Cohen  entered  into  an  ar- 
gument with  me  concerning  Matthew  i.,  and  asked  me 
whether  I  really  believed  in  Christ.  1  answered,  1  am 
ready  to  lay  down  my  life  for  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  The 
wife  of  rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Israel,  and  rabbi  Isaac  Ben 
Solomon  were  present,  when  the  Lord  enabled  me  to 
profess  aloud  my  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord. 

I  went  to  the  study  of  the  rich  and  learned  Jew,  rabbi 
Joseph  Smaria  Ben  Sachariah  ;  he  was  not  at  home, 
but  1  met  with  six  other  Jews  :  when  I  left  the  room, 
one  of  the  young  gentlemen  went  with  me,  and  told  me 
that  an  English  gentleman  gave  him  a  book,  which  he 
was  reading,  (it  was  the  New  Testament ;)  and  he  like- 
wise promised  to  call  on  me. 

To-day  1  sold  three  Syriac  New  Testaments,  which 
I  had  bought  of  Anton  Tolamas  for  two  piastres  apiece. 
I  met  with  several  Jews  of  the  Spanish  denomination, 
who  promised  to  call  on  me. 

I  went  with  the  converted  Abraham  Ben  David,  and 
with  the  Jew  rabbi  Isaac  Ben  Solomon,  to  see  the  old 
synagogue  of  Ramban,  viz.  of  rabbi  Mose  Bar  Nah- 
nian,  who,  500  years  ago,  came  to  Jerusalem,  and  found 
only  one  Jew  there.  He  lived  in  that  synagogue.  I 
sent  Abraham  Ben  David,  (the  soul  which  the  Lord's 
grace  has  given  me,)  to  rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Abraham, 
to  ask  him  whether  I  might  call  on  him.  He  sent  word 
I  might  come,  but  1  must  promise  to  obey  him  m  every 
thing  he  told  me.  I  sent  to  liim  again,  saying,  That 
he  as  a  fallible  creature  could  not  desire  that  I  should 
promise  to  obey  him,  before  I  knew  what  he  might  tell 
me  ;  but  I  promised  to  obey  him  in  all  things  which  he 
should  prove  to  be  true  by  Moses  and  the  prophets. 

April  25. — Rabbi  Solomon  Ben  M  ana  hem  Shfiro, 
the  rival  of  rabbi  Mendel )  rabbi  Isaac  from  Safet,  who 


273 

called  on  me  when  in  Cairo  ;  rabbi  Mose  Sccot ;  rabbi 
Solomon  Ben  Israel,  the  engraver ;  rabbi  Isaac  Ben  Solo- 
mon, and  rabbi  Abraham  Ben  David,  the  convert,  called 
on  me,  and  remained  with  me  four  hours.  They  all,  ex- 
cept Abraham  Ben  David  argued  with  me ;  but  they 
did  not  wish  to  enter  into  particular  texts  of  Scripture  ; 
they  tried  to  convince  me  of  the  necessity  of  acknowledg- 
ing the  authority  of  the  Talmud,  just  in  the  same  way 
as  the  papistical  doctors  try  to  convince  men  the  neces- 
sity of  having  ajudicem  visibilem  in  rebus  fidei  et  mo-» 
rum. 

Rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Menahem  Shfiro,  the  most  libe- 
ral and  the  most  sensible  of  the  Jews,  (rabbi  Mendel  not 
excepted,)  gave  me  most  useful  information  ;  I  read  to 
him  some  parts  of  my  journal,  on  which  he  observed, 
that  I  ought  to  have  written  down  all  the  works  which 
the  famous  rabbi  Elia  Wilna  has  published,  besides  those 
of  them  which  have  been  published  by  rabbi  Mendel, 
The}'  are  as  follows. 

£Here  follows  a  list  of  his  writings.] 

Rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Menahem  pointed  out  to  me 
those  works,  in  which  the  tenets  of  Christianity  are  con- 
troverted. My  Bibles  and  Testaments  arrived  from 
Cairo. 

As  soon  as  the  holy  books  arrived,  the  young  rabbi 
Abraham  Ben  David  bought  five  Hebrew  Bibles  and 
Prophets  to  dispose  of  among  our  bretin-en  the  Jews, 
but  as  soon  as  they  observed  in  it  (Reineccius's  edition) 
the  sign  of  the  cross  in  the  margin,  they  thought,  as 
none  of  them  here  are  able  to  read  the  Latin  notes,  that 
the  English  friends  put  that  mark  on  account  of  super- 
stitious worship  paid  to  the  cross,  and  the  Jews  therelbre 
became  so  enraged  'vjth  poor  Abraham,  that  they  im- 
mediately asked  how  mauy  piastres  he  had  given  for 
them  ;  and  having  lea.ut.  that  he  gave  fil'teen  piastres, 
they  gave  him  fifteen  floggings  upon  his  feet.  The 
poor  fellow,  therefore,  came  back  with  the  Bibles  to  me, 
and  1  returned  him  the  vvhole  of  his  money  immedi- 
ately. Rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Menahem  told  me,  he  was 
displeased  with  the  ignorance  of  the  Spanish  Jews.     I 


274 

declared,  however,  publicly,  tliat  I  would  never  suffer 
any  one  to  be  insulted  whom  I  employed  to  sell  my 
books,  as  every  one  is  free  to  purchase  them  or  not. 

April  26. — Rabbi  Joseph  Ben  Sachariah  Smaria 
called  on  me,  and  desired  me  to  teach  him  the  Italian 
language.  1  therefore  went  to  his  house  ;  he  showed  to 
me  some  tracts  which  1  had  distributed  among  the  Jews  ; 
he  has  read  them,  and  told  me  that  he  intends  to  write 
his  opinion  against  them  with  all  freedom  and  candour. 

Rabbi  Reuben,  the  Hasid,  called  on  me,  and  told  me 
his  expectation  of  the  future  Messiah.  *  The  Messiah 
shall  deliver  Israel  from  their  long  captivity,  and  must 
bring  them  to  Palestine,  the  land  of  Israel,  and  Messiah 
must  build  again  the  temple ;  and  the  Lord  shall  sur- 
round that  temple  with  all  his  holis  ess  ;  as  it  is  written, 
For  I,  saith  the  Lord,  will  be  unto  her  a  wall  of  fire. 
The  two  former  temples  have  been  profaned  ;  the  hea- 
then have  entered  into  her  sanctuary,  whom  thou  didst 
command  that  they  should  not  enter  into  thy  congrega- 
tion ;  and  Jerusalem  became  uncleanness  ;  but  that  teui- 
ple  will  never,  no  never  be  profaned — my  house  shall  be 
built  in  it,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  and  a  line  shall  be 
stretched  forth  upon  Jerusalem.  Sacrifice  shall  be  of- 
fered up  again.  The  Lord  shall  convert  the  hearts  of 
men  ;  and  I  will  give  them  one  heart,  and  1  will  put  a 
a  new  spirit  within  you  ;  and  I  will  take  the  stony  heart 
out  of  their  flesh,  and  will  give  them  an  heart  of  flesh. 
Till  now,  we  have  in  us  -a  good  will  and  bad  will;  then 
a  bad  will  shall  uo  longer  exist,  and  the  Gentiles  shall 
fear  the  Lord.  Tlie  Messiah  shall  be  king  of  the  whole 
wt)rld,  like  Nimrod,  Solomon,  and  Alexander  of  Mace- 
donia ;  and  the  Gentiles  shall  conlefcs  that  Jehovah  is 
Lord,  that  Jehovah  is  one,  and  his  name  onb  ;  and  they 
shall  no  longer  worship  any  other.  Death  shall  no 
longer  exist,  He  will  swallow  up  di^ath  in  victor},  ;  and 
the  Lord  God  shall  wipe  away  tears  from  all  lari-s. 
War  shall  no  longer  find  a  place,  ''  neither  shall  tl  ty 
find  war  any  more."  The  dead  shall  rise.  The  law 
shall  be  observed  in  all  its  vigour  and  parts.' 


275 

I  called  this  evening  on  the  patriarch  of  the  Armenian 
convent ;  he  gave  me  protestations  of  his  sincere  attach- 
ment towards  me,  and  asked  me  whether  I  meet  with 
any  success  among  the  Jews.  In  fact,  many  of  the 
members  of  the  convent  are  exceedingly  kind  towards 
me.  The  first  dragoman  of  the  patriarch,  to  whom  I 
have  given  the  charge  of  selling  the  Bibles,  has  employ- 
ed his  boy  to  sit  the  whole  day  witli  them  in  the  streets, 
to  sell  them,  and  to  distribute  tracts  among  tlie  Jews. 
Some  thousand  tracts  liave  already  been  distributed 
among  them.  Many  of  them  have  been  burnt  by  the 
rabbies.  Meir,  the  son  of  the  aged  rabbi  Joseph  Ben 
Wolf,  called  on  me  to-day,  expressing  a  desire  of  be- 
coming a  Christian,  but  1  much  doubt  his  sincerity. 

,,lp?il  27. — 1  have  translated  out  of  Henry  Marty n's 
Memoir,  p.  478,  the  description  he  gave  of  Ech  Miazin, 
the  Armenian  convent  in  Persia,  into  the  Italian  lan- 
guage ;  1  only  left  out  those  passages  which  may  be 
misunderstood  ;  and  Pater  Paolo  Tiutiungi  has  trans- 
lated it  again  into  the  Armenian  tongue,  for  the  perusal 
of  the  patriarch  in  this  convent,  and  to  send  it  to  Ech 
Miazin.  The  patriarch  Ephralm  (Memoir,  p.  478,j  is 
still  alive,  and  much  loved  by  the  monks  residing  at 
Jerusalem.  The  name  of  that  Bishop  who  intends  to 
establish  the  college  at  Ech  Miazin,  is  not  ,^\stus,  (Me- 
moir, p.  478,)  but  Nerses  ;  he  resides  at  Teflis,  and  he 
is  the  same  to  whom  1  wrote  about  the  labours  of  the 
English  Christians  for  promoting  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
Ech  Miazin  does  not  signify  "  three  churches,"  but  the 
*' only-begotten  is  descended  from  heaven."  Scrope 
(Memoir,  p.  477,)  is  at  present  residing  in  the  Armenian 
college  established  by  him  at  Moscow.  I  argue  every 
evening  with  several  Armenian  priests  about  the  power 
of  the  Gospel,  and  the  excellency  of  its  doctrine  ;  tiiey 
listen  to  me  with  meekness.  Several  t  alholics  also  call 
on  me,  and  many  of  them  acknowledge  that  the  Scrip- 
ture quickens  their  mind  and  heart. 

Marenu  Nabon  and  Pesanti,  have  complained  of  me 
to  the  Musellim,  governor  of  Jerusalem,  for  distributing 
Christian  books  among  the  Jews.     The  Musellim  said 


276 

that  no  Jew  will  become  Christian,  and  no  Christian 
will  ever  become  Jew,  and,  therefore,  every  one  who  will 
take  the  books  may  have  them.  "  Fear  not,  little  flock  ; 
it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  king- 
dom." Blessed  are  those  who  are  one  day  to  be  num- 
bered in  heaven  among  that  little  flock  ;  verily  they 
shall  inherit  the  kingdom,  in  the  day  wherein  the  hour 
shall  come  that  my  Jews  shall  glorify  God  and  his 
Christ :  in  the  hour  when  he  shall  send  his  holy  Spirit 
from  heaven,  and  quicken  the  dead  soul.  For  Christ  is 
mighty,  he  is  wise. 

The  governor  of  this  place  has  sent  me  to-day  three 
young  sheep  as  a  token  of  his  regard. 

April  28. — Isaac  Ben  Solomon,  Abraham  Ben  David, 
and  several  of  the  Armenian  and  Greek  youth,  desire 
me  to  teach  them  the  English  and  Italian  tongues. 

A  superstitious  custom  prevails  among  the  Armeni- 
ans, which  is  contrary  to  Levit.  xix.  28,  "  Ye  shall  not 
make  cuttings  in  your  flesh  ;"  they  cut  themselves  with 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  the  image  of  the  Virgin  Mary  in 
their  flesh.  The  patriarch  of  Ech  Miazin  has  in  vain 
declared  his  disapprobation  of  it.  I  made  use  of  an 
opportunity  I  had  to  speak  with  the  Armenians  about 
it.  They  were  so  impressed  of  the  truth  of  what  I  said, 
that  some  of  them  desired  me  to  give  them  a  medical 
remedy,  to  deface  that  work  of  superstition.  My  Greek 
servant,  who  le/t  me  some  days  ago,  because  T  would 
not  increase  his  salary,  sent  the  Caraite  Jews,  and  seve- 
ral Greek  priests  to  me,  to  intercede  for  him,  that  1  might 
take  him  back,  which  I  did. 

Several  Jews  called  on  me,  and  requested  Hebrew 
Bibles.  1  told  them  T  could  not  give  them  Hebrew  Bi- 
bles without  the  permission  of  their  high-priests,  for  I 
had  perceived  that  the  rabbies  think  that  the  mark  of 
the  cross,  which  distinguishes,  in  fact,  Keri  and  Ketib, 
was  for  superstitious  purposes.  After  rabbi  Solomon 
Ben  Menahem  Shfiro,  and  rabbi  Mendel  had  examined 
the  copies,  they  saw  that  I  was  right;  and  rabbi  Isaac 
Ben  Solomon  brought,  therefore,  to-day  some  lines 
from  a  rabbi,  in  winch  he  permits  me  to  distribute  the 


277 

copies.  Another  priest  of  the  Armenian  convent,  Pater 
Wardabat  by  name,  has  written  a  letter  to  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 

April  29. — Abraham  Ben  David  said  to  me,  that  to- 
day he  prayed  to  God  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  the 
Saciour.  I  called  on  the  learned  rabbi  Solomon  Ben 
Menahem  ;  he  showed  me  some  books,  amongst  which 
was  Aben  Ezra's  Commentary  on  Gen.  xviii.  1,  where 
he  speaks  against  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity. 

I  feel  inexpressible  joy  at  the  progress  in  Christian 
experience,  which  I  observed  in  my  Jewish  brother 
Abraham  Ben  David.  The  following  are  his  own 
words  : — 

'  I  Iiave  prayed  to-day  with  tears  to  the  Holy  One 
who  is  for  ever  blessed,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  C/hrist,  in 
order  that  he  may  help  me  out  of  my  spiritual  and  bodi- 
ly troubles.  1  consider  you  as  my  father,  as  it  was  said 
of  Abraham  and  Sarah,  that  "  they  took  the  souls  that 
they  had  gotten  in  Haran  :"  for  rabbi  Solomon  Isaac 
said.  The  meaning  of  the  expression,  "  The  souls 
they  had  gotten,"  signifies,  '  Those  souls  they  have  con- 
verted to  God.'  You,  Mr.  Wolf,  you  Iiave  gotten  my 
soul,  so  that  I  now  perceive  that  the  book  is  sealed  to 
the  Jews,  the}^  do  not  understand  it,  until  they  believe 
that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  Son  of  the  living  God;  and 
I  shall  thank  the  Lord  when  I  shall  travel  with  you,  and 
then  profess  publicly  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah.'  I  read 
with  him  Acts  xvii.  he  was  struck  by  the  following 
words,  "  For  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our 
being."  *  Every  word  (said  Abraham  Ben  David)  goes 
through  my  heart.'  I  read  with  him  2  Cor.  vi.  'Every 
word  goes  through  my  heart,'  said  Abraham  again. 

He  made  after  tliis,  some  rabbinical  but  innocent  ob- 
servations, as  for  instance,  God  appeared  to  Abraham 
in  the  plains  of  Mamre,  as  a  reward  to  Mamre,  who 
was  turned  Jew.  He  remarked  farther,  that  there  was 
a  difference  in  the  behaviour  of  Abraham  from  that  of 
Lot,  when  the  angels  appeared  to  him.  (Genesis  xviii. 
xix.  2.)  Abraham  not  knowing  at  first  that  those  three 
men  were  angels,  but  believing  them  rather  to  be  idola- 


278 

lers,  who  worshipped  the  dust  of  their  ieeij  desired,  first 
of  all,  that  water  should  be  fetched  to  wash  their  feetj 
in  order  that  the  tree  under  which  they  were  to  rest, 
might  not  be  profaned  by  idolatrous  dust ;  but  Lot,  on 
the  contrary,  who  himself  bad  been  an  idolater,  did  not 
mind  it,  and  asked  them  to  turn  into  his  house,  and 
then  to  wash  their  feet,  I  disapproved  of  that  observa- 
tion with  tenderness.  And  1  then  prayed  with  him  to 
our  heavenly  Father,  to  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  in  the  name 
of  his  only-begotten  Son.  Abraham  repeated  every 
word  with  a  devout  voice.  I  then  went  with  him  to  the 
rich  Jew,  Joseph  Ben  Sachariah  Smaria,  who  showed 
me  the  remarks  he  has  made  upon  the  New  Testament, 
which  he  will  give  me  in  a  letter,  that  I  may  send 
them  to  England.  Another  Spanish  Jew  was  present, 
who  desired  a  New  Testament;  his  name  is  Jacob. 

The  great  Rabbi  Mendel  sent  to  me  again  to-day  for 
six  Hebrew  Bibles.  As  on  account  of  the  war,  no 
money  for  the  Polish  Jews  arrives  from  Kassia,  the 
Polish  Jews  are  in  great  distress.  I  give  them,  there- 
fore, Bibles  and  New  Testaments  gratis.  I  sold  to-day 
ten  Italian  New  Testaments  to  the  Greek  convent  of 
St.  Demetrio,  for  two  piastres,  two  barras;  and  one 
copy  of  the  Hebrew  Prophets,  to  a  Spanish  Jew,  for 
one  piastre.  I  distributed  also  ten  Italian  tracts,  all  I 
had,  among  the  Roman  Catholic  peasants,  who  will 
most  probably  show  them  to  the  Catholic  priests  of  the 
Italian  convent,  who  may  be  either  moved  by  the  grace 
of  God  to  read  them  and  be  converted,  or  they  may, 
after  their  usual  custom,  burn  them.  1  learn  that  the 
Superior  of  that  convent.  Pater  Cozza  by  name,  is  lib- 
erally-minded, buit,  liovvever,  they  have,  notwithstanding 
all  the  liberality  of  their  Superior,  pronounced  excom- 
munication against  me. 

Rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Menahem  Shfiro  has  lent  me  a 
work  of  rabbi  Mose  Ben  Menahem,  who  came  five  hun- 
dred years  ago  to  Jerusalem,  and  found  no  Jew  here 
except  one  single  dyer.  That  great  man  composed  a 
most  beautifal  elegy  upon  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 


279 

vi'hich  is  to  be  found  as  an  Appendix  to  his  Commenta- 
ry on  the  Peiitiiteuch. 

April  30. — The  Popish  Missionaries  in  the  Italian 
convent  of  Terra  Santa,  have  at  length  broken  the  si- 
lence they  kept  for  a  while,  after  tliey  perceived  that  so 
many  of  their  Catholic  flock  have  received  the  word  of 
Cod  with  gladness.  The  Rev.  Pater  Cozza,  Superior 
of  that  convent,  mounted  the  pulpit  of  the  church  last 
Sunday,  and  proclaimed  the  following  order  in  the  pre- 
sence of  eight  hundred  Catholics  : — 

'  As  that  man  who  lately  arrived  at  Jerusalem  for  the 
destruction  of  the  Catholic  religion,  has  distributed 
several  ';ooks,  I  command  you  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  deliver  to  me  all 
the  books  which  he  has  distributed,  and  to  tell  me  the 
names  of  those  who  have  brought  them  ;  and  whosoever 
shall  dare  to  act  contrary  to  this  order,  shall  be  excom- 
municated in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit.'  The  liberal  Catholic  Anton  Tolamas,  as- 
sured me  that  the  Rev.  Cozza  has  already  had  a  quantity 
of  Psalters  and  New  Testaments  delivered  to  him.  The 
Jews  the  day  before,  proclaimed  their  excommunication 
against  the  New  Testament  only,  but  the  Catholics 
against  both  the  New  and  Old.  I  have  left  the  convent 
of  the  Armenians,  and  have  taken  a  room  in  the  house 
of  a  kind  Mussulman,  Hassan  Alemi  by  name,  that  I 
may  converse  with  the  Jews  more  freely.  Hassan 
Alemi  offered  to  read  the  Koran  with  me,  he  assuring 
me  that  it  was  created  in  the  beginning  of  tlie  creation. 
1  have  given  Hebrew  Bibles  and  Testaments,  and  Tre- 
mellius's  Catechism,  to  twenty-seven  rabbles. 

To-day  1  fancied  that  the  Rev.  Lewis  Way,  Mr.  Bay- 
ford,  you,  and  Mr.  Simeon,  entered  my  room  ;  I  was  so 
overpowered  by  the  thought,  that  1  exclaimed  with  a 
loud  voice,  *  Angels  of  the  Lord  !'  and  when  I  perceived 
it  was  only  a  fancy  of  my  imagination,  I  shed  abun- 
dance of  tears.  The  Caiaite  Jews  receive  tracts  with 
gladness  and  gratitude,  and  thus  they  did  the  Old  Tes- 
taments. 

The  Lord  has  tried  me  again.    Pater  Paolo  Tiutiungi, 


280 

the  Armenian  priest,  has  set  out  for  England.  The  Ar^- 
menian  merchant  JVIacarditch,  a  most  amiable  gentleman, 
with  whom  I  travelled  through  the  deserts  from  Cairo 
to  Gaza,  and  in  whose  company  I  spent  the  evenings  in 
the  Armenian  convent,  has  set  out  for  Cairo.  I  feel 
much  the  loss  of  those  two  friends.  I  accompanied  them 
to  the  road  of  Arimathea,  (Ramla,)  where  we  sat  down 
on  the  grass,  near  the  ruins  of  a  house,  and  eat  some 
sweet  cakes,  and  drank  a  little  wine,  and  the  Armenian 
priests  sang  a  hymn  to  the  praise  of  our  Saviour.  I 
recommended  my  friends  to  edify  each  other  on  their 
way  through  the  desert  with  prayer  and  hymns,  and  I 
returned  to  Jerusalem  with  a  heavy  heart.  When  1  re- 
turned home,  a  Jewish  boy  requested  a  Hebrew  Bible, 
I  gave  it  gratis,  and  also  Tremellius's  Catechism,  and 
spake  with  him  of  Christ. 

1  went  this  evening  again  to  rabbi  Joseph  Ben  "Wolf, 
with  the  intention  of  reading  the  Sohar  with  him,  and 
thus  have  an  opportunity  of  conversing  with  him  about 
the  glad  tidings  contained  in  the  Gospel.  I  observed 
that  several  leaves  had  been  torn  out  of  the  Hebrew 
Bible  which  I  had  presented  him  with.  I  asked  the 
reason  of  it ;  Rabbi  Joseph  told  me,  that  an  enthusias- 
tic Jew  had  done  that  mischief,  on  account  of  the  cros- 
ses which  are  to  be  found  in  the  Bible.  I  was  so  much 
displeased  and  hurt  about  it,  that  1  left  the  room,  and 
spent  the  night  in  the  house  of  rabbi  Solomon  Ben 
Menahem  Shfiro,  who  observed,  that  there  are  several 
mistakes  in  the  Bible ;  for  instance  Isaiah  ix.  6,  is 
r«iDS  instead  of  HDIIL*^,  and  Rabbi  Solomon  thinks 
that  the  Samaritan  text  should  not  have  been  cited  in 
the  notes,  and  the  sign  of  the  cross,  notwitiistanding  the 
innocency  of  the  intention,  ought  not  to  have  been 
chosen  ;  and  he  thinks  farther,  that  the  characters  are 
too  small,  and  13  is  often  used  instead  oi  D 

j\Iay  1 — I  called  on  rabbi  Joseph  Ben  Sachariah 
Smaria,  and  asked  them  who  was  the  author  of  Psalm 
ex.  The  answe?  was,  David.  1  asked  them,  Whom 
does  David  call  Lord  ?     They  confessed  that  they  were 


^81 

tiOi  able  to  answer  that  question.  Rabbi  Joseph,  how- 
ever, has  returned  me  the  ^ew  Testament.  I  then  went 
to  Rabbi  Mendel,  the  high  priest ;  several  other  rabbies 
and  students  were  assembled.  Rabbi  Mendel  expressed 
his  desire  of  seeing  me  turn  again  to  Judaism,  and  he 
added  that  he  had  some  hopes  on  the  following  account : 
— First,  That  1  never  play  cards,  detested  by  Jews. 
Secondly,  That  I  never  went  into  the  theatre.  Thirdly, 
That  I  am  a  friend  of  orphans  and  widows,  and  of  Jews 
in  general,  and  have  taken  upon  me  the  charge  of  their 
letters  which  the  Jews  wrote  to  Poland.  1  answered, 
that  the  faith  which  I  profess,  my  faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
enables  me  so  to  act,  and  that  1  do  all  this. for  the  glory 
of  the  Lord.  We  argued  again  for  some  hours.  When 
I  returned  to  my  room,  Isaac  Ben  Solomon,  Abraham 
Ben  Jeremiah,  and  Abraham  Ben  David,  called  on  me. 
We  sang  together  a  very  edifying  Chaldee  hymn,  with 
which  they  were  much  pleased. 

The  English  translation  of  the  Hymn  is  as  follows  : 

Lord  God  of  the  world  and  worlds,  thou  art  King  of  the 

kings  of  kings. 
It  is  beautiful  to  relate  before  thee   the  works^  of  thy 
power  and  wonders. 

Choir.  Lord  God,  &;c. 
I  offer  up  praises  in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening  time 
unto  thee,  O  God  of  holiness.  Creator  of  all  die  souls, 
of  holy  cities  and  children  of  men,  of  the  animals  of 
the  field,  and  the  fowls  of  heaven. 
Choir,   Lord  God,  &:c. 
Great  are  thy  works  and  thy  power  in  the  height;  he 
raiseth   them    that  are   bowed  down  ;  and  if  a  man 
should  live  two  thousand  years,  he  could  not  explain 
thy  power.     O  Lord,   most  precious    and  great,  re- 
deem thy  sheep  from  the  mouth  of  lions,  and  redeem 
thy  people  from  the  captivity  ;  that  people  whom  thou 
hast  chosen. 

Choir,  Lord  God,  &c. 
24^ 


282 

Return  to  thy  temple,  with  all  thy  holiness,  where  all 
the  spirits  and  souls  rejoice,  and  sing  and  shout  in 
Jerusalem,  the  beautiful  city. 

Choir.  Lord  God    of  the  world  and  worlds,   thou 
art  King  of  the  king  of  kings. 

May  2. — Moses  Ben  David  Shleifer,  the  brother  of 
the  converted  Abraham  Ben  David  Shleifer,  although 
but  ten  years  of  age,  understands  exceedingly  well  the 
Hebrew  and  Chaldean  tongues  ;  he  called  on  me  to-day 
with  his  brother  Abraham  Ben  David.  I  preached  to 
them  both,  for  above  an  hour,  the  preciousness  of  the 
Gospel  ;  they  were  very  attentive. 

Rabbi  Mendel,  Rabbi  Isaac,  from  Safet,  and  another 
Jew,  Haim  Takur,  from  Safet,  and  Mrs.  Batsheba,  ar- 
gued with  me  several  hours,  and  showed  me  a  book  con- 
taining beautiful  sentences  of  moral  precepts.  1  read 
in  it,  and  approved  of  it,  but  showed  them  at  the  same 
time,  the  excellency  of  the  power  of  onr  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  although  rabbi  Mendel  and  all  the  rabbies 
plainly  told  me,  that  the  Sanhedrin  would  have  put  me 
to  death  for  my  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  1  repeatedly  con- 
fessed that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God.  Oh  Lord,  how 
much  is  Pharisaical  blindness,  and  hypocrisy  mixed  with 
sparks  of  the  true  Gospel  light.  Rabbi  Mendel,  the 
zealous  Pharisee,  to-day  made  this  observation  :  We 
must,  above  all  things,  know  the  will  of  God,  before  we 
can  know  the  state  of  the  world  ;  and  he  has  set  the 
world  in  their  hearts,  so  that  no  man  can  find  out  the 
work  of  God  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  Rabbi 
Mendel  asked  me,  What  wisdom  have  you  found  In  St. 
Paul  ^  I  replied.  The  "  depth  of  the  riches  of  the  wisdom 
of  God,"  Romans  xi.  33. 

May  3.— 1  called  again  on  rabbi  Mendel ;  rabbi  Isaac, 
from  Safet,  had  been  there.  It  is  a  fact  that  the  rabbies 
in  general  do  not  believe  the  eternity  of  hell  punish- 
ment. Rabbi  Mendel,  who  denies  it,  tries  to  prove  his 
opinion  by  Proverbs  xxvi.  20,  "  Where  no  wood  is,  the 
iire  goes  out."  1  he  rabbies  lay  on  these  words  the 
following  sense,  ♦'  The  wood  is  the  sins  committed  by 


283 

men  ;  as  soon  as  those  sins  shall  be  punished,  the  wrath 
of  the  Lord  shall  cease,  and  Satan  liirnself  shall  be  re- 
deemed." The  second  discovery  I  made  is,  that  an  in- 
stitution like  the  Catholic  inquisition  founded  by  St. 
Dominic,  existed  among  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  our 
Lord,  and  has  been  sanctioned  by  the  Tahnud,  and  even 
by  tlie  celebrated  rabbi  Mose  Ben  Maimon  ;  see  Sanhe- 
drin,  p.  oG  ;  and  rabbi  Mose  Ben  Maimon  Hilhoth 
Momrim,  chapter  iii.  Rabbi  Mendel  and  rabbi  Isaac, 
from  Safet,  again  tried  to  convert  me  to  Judaism  ;  he 
gave  me  a  cup  of  wine  to  drink  his  health,  and  desired 
me  to  ask  the  blessing  over  it,  after  the  rite  of  the  Jews  ; 
1  immediately  complied  with  his  request,  and  said 
•'  Blessed  art  thou,  O  Lord,  our  God,  King  of  the  world, 
who  hast  created  the  fruit  of  the  vine."  I  added  to  it  as 
usual,  that  1  shall  always  accommodate  myself  in  all 
these  things  to  those  customs  of  the  Jews,  which  are  not 
opposed  to  the  tenets  of  Christ's  doctrine.  I  desired  per- 
mission to  sit  with  them  in  the  Jestuba  (college)  and 
read  the  Talmud  with  them  ;  for  [  perceive  every  day 
more  and  more  the  advantage  of  being  able  to  argue 
vvith  them  upon  their  own  ground ;  and  after  their  own 
style  and  manner.  Rabbi  Mendel  was  disposed  to  com- 
ply with  my  wish,  but  Rabbi  Isaac,  from  Safet,  observ- 
ed, that  1  must  first  acknowledge  my  belief  in  the  Tal- 
mud. I  declared  that  1  believed  only  in  Moses,  the  pro- 
phets, and  the  Gospel.  Rabbi  Mendel's  sentiments  are, 
that  all  the  rabbies  being  assembled  together,  and  those 
rabbles  being  of  unimpeachable  integrity,  ihey*are  infal- 
lible  when  they  decide  on  matters  of  faith  ;  and  thus  (rab- 
bi Mendel  further  observed)  it  was  the  case  in  the  times 
rabbies  Hakadash,  by  his  learning,  converted  the  em- 
peror Antoninus  to  Judaism.  Rabbi  Hakardash  was 
afraid  that  the  traditional  word  of  God  might  be  for- 
gotten; he  therefore  assembled  in  Zppnra  all  the  rab- 
bies of  the  world,  whom  he  provided  with  every  need, 
and  they,  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  i:ompiled  the  Tal- 
mud. The  Catholics  maintain  in  the  same  way  in- 
faUibilitatem  conciliorum  aicumenicorum  et  infallibUi- 
tatcm  papce,  in    cathedra  loquentis.      1  did   not,   how- 


284 

ever,  enter  into  any  argument  about  it,  but  said,  that 
the  Jews  should  now  assemble,  and  search  whether  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  was  the  Cliristor  not,  for  (I  observed)  it  is 
highly  necessary  that  you  do  so,  as  many  of  the  Jews 
begin  to  suspect  the  authority  of  the  Talmud,  and  the 
English  nation  tries  to  promote  Christianity  among  the 
Jews  with  the  most  indefatigable  zeal,*and  the  New  Tes- 
tament has  been  translated  for  the  very  purpose  of  open- 
ing the  eyes  of  the  Jews,  and  to  convert  them  to  Jesus 
Christ  Assemble  yourselves,  therefore,  in  the  name  of 
the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  consult  with  pray- 
er and  supplication,  and  examine  the  New  Testament  of 
Jesus  Christ,  which  we  maintain  is  the  same  predicted 
of  by  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  and  this  is  what  the  Jews 
at  Louisania  are  now  doing.  Rabbi  Mendel  observed, 
that  the  Jews  are  at  present  not  able  to  call  the  rabbies 
together,  for  they  are  poor.  I  promissed  them  the  as- 
sistance of  English  Christians,  if  they  should  be  dispos- 
ed to  comply  with  my  wish.  Rabbi  Mendel  was  ready 
to  consent  to  my  proposal.  Rabbi  Isaac,  from  Safet, 
protested  against  it. 

May  4  — Several  Jews  called  on  me,  and  asked  for 
^ew  Testaments,  tracts,  and  Bibles. — I  gave  them  the 
books  gratis.  They  read  them  in  the  streets,  but  the 
Jews  from  Barbary  took  them  out  of  their  hands,  and 
burnt  a  great  many.  Armenian  and  Greek  priests 
called  on  me  to-day,  and  desired  to  purchase  Greek, 
Arabic,  and  Armenian  Bibles  and  Testaments,  but  I 
was  not  able  to  comply  with  their  wish ;  I  therefore 
wrote  again  to  John  Barker,  Esq.  in  Aleppo,  and  to 
Peter  Lee,  Esq.  in  Alexandria,  to  send  me  Bibles,  Tes- 
tiements,  and  tracts. 

May  5. — Abraham  Ben  David,  who,  I  trust,  has 
been  converted  to  the  knowledge  of  Chrisi,  called  on 
me,  and  told  me,  that  the  chief  rabbies  have  this  mor- 
ning proclaimed  in  the  synagogue,  that  every  Jew  must 
burn  all  the  Hebrew  Bibles,  (Reineccius's  edition,)  on 
account  of  the  Samaritan  text,  and  of  the  crosses  which 
are  to  be  found  in  the  notes.  To  prevent  so  great  an 
evil,  I  wrote  a  letter  immediately,  in  Hebrew,  to  rabbi 
Jom  Toph  Danum,  to  Morenu  Meyahis,  and  to  Abra- 


285 

ham  Hadid,  the  first  high-priests   of  the  Spanish   per» 
suasion. 

"  To  the  Rabbles,  the  Princes,  and  the  Learned  ! 

I  have  learned  that  public  orders  have  been  given  in 
your  synagogue,  that  the  twenty-four  books,  containing 
the  Old  Testament,  should  be  committed  to  the  flames. 
I  desire  rather  to  receive  them  back;  if  not,  you  must 
pay  me  tlie  full  price  of  the  books,  and  all  expences  of 
them,  for  I  have  given  them  to  you  to  learn  from,  and 
not  that  they  should  be  burnt.  Woe  be  to  you  shep- 
herds of  Israel,  saith  Joseph  Wolf. 

P.  S.  The  mark  which  you  suppose  is  a  sign  of  the 
cross,  is  nothing  but  a  mark  of  Keri  and  Ketib." 

I  sent  the  letter  by  means  of  the  converted  Abraham 
Ben  David,  to  Morenu  Meyahis,  who  called  together  all 
the  great  men  of  the  Spanish  Jews,  and  they  consulted 
together  for  half  an  hour,  and  then  sent  the  clerk  of  the 
synagogue  to  me,  with  their  compliments, and  requesting 
me  to  go  there,  and  drink  coffee  with  them  in  the  com- 
mittee-house of  the  Spanish  Jews.  I  weuti  mmediately, 
and  took  with  me  my  Greek  servant  Antonio  ;  Abraham 
Ben  David,  and  the  Jewish  clerk  accompanied  me 
there.  The  committee-house  was  so  much  crowded 
with  Jews  who  desired  to  hear  what  was  doing,  that 
many  of  them  were  obliged  to  stand  without  the  doors 
of  the  hall.  Morenu  Meyahis,  Morenu  Rabem,  and 
Morenu  Koba  sat  upon  the  divan  ;  they  arose  as  soon 
as  1  entered  the  hall,  and  gave  me  a  seat  between  them 
— very  venerable  and  mildly  disposed  gentlemen  indeed  ! 
Morenu  Meyahis  asked  me  in  Spanish,  whether  they 
migiit  converse  with  me  in  Hebrew  ?  I  said,  *'  Yes  !" 

Morenu  AJeyahis.  Some  of  the  Jews  in  Jerusalem 
are  partly  frojn  Salonichi,  partly  from  Barbary,  and 
others  from  Polonia  ;  many  of  them  are  rough  and  ig- 
norant, ami  are  not  able  to  discern  good  from  bad,  or 
bad  from  good  ;  many  of  them  do  not  know  their  own 
law,  and  theretbre  we  must  watch  over  them.  We  are 
not  bad  shepherds ;  we  have  seen  the  copies  of  the 
Old  Testament  which  you  have  distributed  among  the 
Jews  of  this  place,  and  we  have  observed  in  the  notes 


286 

of  them  the  text  taken  from  the  Samaritan  Codex, 
(Deut.  V.  see  note,)  in  which  it  is  said,  "  I  have  com- 
mauded  you  to-day  upon  the  mount  Gerizim  ;"  we 
know  very  well  that  this  is  not  in  the  text,  but  in  the 
notes  ;  and  that  it  is  not  the  intention  of  the  English 
nation  to  make  us  believe  in  the  authenticity  of  the  Sa- 
maritan Codex,  but  we  rabbles  only  are  able  to  distin- 
guish this  ;  the  youth  who  might  learn  the  Hebrew  out 
of  such  an  edition,  may  easily  believe  that  that  passage 
does  belong  to  the  text,  and  may  easily  be  induced  to 
believe  that  the  law  does  not  go  out  from  Sion,  but 
from  mount  Gerizim ;  and  with  respect  to  the  New  Tes- 
taments which  you  have  distributed,  you  must  know 
yourself,  for  you  are  of  the  seed  of  Israel,  that  it  is 
against  the  law  of  Moses,  which  you  yourself  so  highly 
esteem,  and  we  are  therefore  determined  to  burn  ew^ry 
copy  of  them. 

/.  I  have  distributed  these  editions  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment not  only  with  the  permission,  but  even  at  the  de- 
sire of  rabbi  Mendel  Menahem,  the  great  rabbi  of  the 
Ashkenaim  ;  he  sent  me  the  young  men  with  written 
notes  from  himself,  and  he  requested  for  himself  three 
copies  of  the  whole  Bible,  as  well  as  of  the  editions  of 
the  Prophets  and  Psalters;  and  rabbi  Mendel  is  consid- 
ered by  every  one  of  you  as  ihe  light  in  Israel ;  and 
rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Menahem  Shfiro,  rabbi  Mose  Secot, 
rabbi  Isaac,  from  Safet,  men  zealous  in  the  law,  have 
followed  rabbi  Mendel's  example  ;  and  the  Bible  does 
not  deserve  in  any  case,  to  be  burnt.  And  with  respect 
to  the  New  Testament,  I  must  observe,  that  I  do  not 
believe  it  is  perverting  the  law  of  Moses  and  the  pro- 
phets; it  establishes  the  Ten  Commandments,  explains 
them  in  all  thair  parts,  and  establishes  the  great  truth, 
that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  Messiah  of  the  Jews,  the 
Son  of  God.  This  New  Testament  is  the  very  same 
predicted  by  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  and  on  this  account 
I  distrbute  them  ;  but  as  you  are  determined  to  burn 
them,  1  shall  no  longer  make  presents  of  them,  for  I 
have  given  them  to  be  read  and  not  to  be  burnt.  These 
my  sentiments  I  declared,  after  their  manner,  on  paper. 


287 

Morenu  Kola,  Why  did  you  write,  "  Woe  unto  ^s 
^epherds  of  Israel  P^  It  is  the  tenet  of  the  Talmud: 
^*  A  Torah,  written  by  heretics,  must  be  burnt." 

Morenu  Meyahis.  Let  us  not  quarrel,  but  be  friendly 
together  ;  we  will,  with  all  our  hearts,  receive  from  the 
English  nation,  co^'ies  of  our  Bible,  but  without  notes, 
without  comment,  without  any  prejace,  and  without  any 
Latin  character. 

I.  And  you  shall  receive  such  as  you  desire. 

All.  Amen  !  Amen  ! 

Rabbi  Mendel  and  the  old  rabbi  Joseph  Ben  Wolf 
entered  the  room.  All  arose  from  their  seats. 

i.  Rabbi  Mendel,  did  you  not  desire  me  to  distribute 
the  copies  of  the  Old  Testament  f 

Rabbi  Mendel.  Yes. 

Morenu  Meyahis  and  the  other  then  explained  to  him 
their  reason,  as  above-mentioned,  for  desiring  me  not  to 
distribute  them.  He  conceded  to  their  decision,  but  re- 
commended highly,  the  editions  of  the  Hebrew  prophets 
and  Psalters,  published  by  the  London  Society  for  pro- 
moting Christianity  amongst  the  Jews — and  they  en- 
treated me  not  to  distribute  New  Testaments  any  more. 
I  gave  them  my  word  of  honour  on  paper,  not  to  make 
presents  of  them  or  of  the  tracts,  among  the  Jews  in  Je- 
rusalem, any  more,  when  I  perceived  that  they  were  de- 
termined to  burn  every  copy.  But  this  does  not  pre- 
vent my  lending  copies  of  the  New  Testament  to  those 
who,  I  am  sure,  will  not  burn  them. 

Morenu  Koba.  Why  do  you  not  believe  in  Moses  and 
the  prophets.^ 

/.  God  forbid  that  I  should  not  believe  in  them.  I 
hope,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  lay  down  my  life  for 
them,  and  I  exclaim  every  day,  "  Hear,  Israel,  the  Lord 
our  God  is  one  Lord  1  Blessed  be  his  glorious  name  ; 
his  kingdom  endureth  for  ever  !" 

Morenu  Koba.  Why  do  you  add  to  the  words, 
"  Hear  Israel,"  the  words,  "  blessed  be  his  glorious 
name,"  &£c.  words  which  our  rabbies  use,  in  which  you 
profess  not  to  believe  ^ 

1.  \  shall  always  acknowledge  those  expressions  of 
the  Talmud  beautiful,  which  agree  with  Holy  Writ, 


288 

Morenu  Kola.  Why  do  you  believe  in  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth ? 

/.  Because  he  has  proved  by  the  prophets,  and  by 
the  wonders  and  signs  he  wrought,  that  he  is  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  and  this  he  did  also   by   his    doctrines. 

Morenu  Koba.  Jesus  Christ  was  a  prophet,  a  dreamer 
of  dreams,  who  said,  "  Let  us  go  after  other  gods,"  and 
we  have  therefore  put  him  to  death. 

/.  A  scribe  asked  Jesus,  Which  Is  the  first  command- 
ment of  all  ?  and  Jesus  answered  him,  The  first  of  all 
the  commandments  is  :  "  Hear,  Israel,  the  Lord  our 
God  is  one  Lord." 

Rabbi  Mendel.  Moses  said,  If  he  shall  say  any  thing 
to  us  which  we  have  not  known,  such  as  that  a  child 
should  be  born  without  a  father.  We  knew  Jehovah  who 
is  One,  and  whose  name  is  One,  we  know  no  Son  of 
God. 

1.  The  text  says,  ^'  After  strange  gods  which  thou 
hast  not  known  :"  farther,  Moses  knew  that  the  seed  of 
the  tvoman,  not  the  man,  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head. 
Jsaiali  knew  that  the  virgin  should  conceive;  Jeremiah 
knew  that  the  Lord  had  created  a  new  thing  in  the  earth, 
that  a  woman  should  compass  a  man  ;  and  Zechariah 
knew  that  he  was  the  fellow  of  God  ;  Isaiah  that  a  Son 
was  given  us  ! — and  so  Adam  was  born  without  a  fa- 
ther. 

Rabbi  Mendel.  If  God  had  intended  to  perform  a 
miracle,  why  did  he  not  ordain  that  a  man  should  bring- 
forth  Jesus  Christ,    then  all    would  have  believed  .'' 

/.  It  is  blasphemy  to  ask,  Why  did  God  act  thus, 
and  not  rather  in  that  manner. 

Rabbi  Mendel.  The  Talmud  tells  us  that  Jesus  was 
bo7m  of  a  man. 

I  The  manner  the  Talmud  tells  this,  must  convince 
every  reasonable  man  that  the  Talmud  tells  monstrous 
lies. 

Morenu  Rabenu.  He  has  given  a  new  law,  which  is 
against  the  law  of  Moses;  he  has  abolished  circumci- 
sion ;  abolished  the  Sabbath  day  ;  and  you  eat  swine's 
flesh. 


289 

/.  He  has  established  the  new  convent  predicted  by 
Jeremy  and  Malachi  ;  the  ceremonial  laws  of  Moses 
were  only  types  and  figures  of  a  better  law  :  the  statutes 
of  Moses  were  those  that  were  not  good,  and  judgments 
whereby  they  do  not  live.  Circumcision  of  the  flesh 
was  commanded  only  to  the  Jews  and  tfieir  descendents, 
and  not  to  Gentiles,  and  that  circumcision  of  the  flesh, 
commanded  to  Abraham  and  his  descendents,  was  given 
to  prefigure  the  circumcision  of  the  heart.  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  however,  taught  that  the  Jews  shall  neither 
be  justified  by  the  circumcision  of  the  flesh,  nor  by  ob- 
serving the  ceremonial  law  of  Moses,  but  by  faith  in 
Christ,  which  produces  conversion  of  the  heart.  And 
you  cannot  say  thai  I  am  eating  swine's  flesh,  for  you 
have  never  seen  me  eat  it,  altiiough  1  believe  that  no- 
thing is  sin  which  enters  into  the  mouth,  but  rather  that 
which  cometh  out  of  the  mouth. 

Mendel.  Jeremy  predicted  a  new  convent,  but  not  a 
new  law. 

/.  The  covenant  made  with  Israel  consisted  in  God's 
having  communicated  to  them  his  ivill  by  the  Torah. 
I  challenge  all  rabbies  here  assembled,  raid  all  the  rab- 
bies  upon  earth,  and  I  say  that  no  rabbi  is  able  to  give 
a  reasonable  interpretation  of  Isaiah  liii.  :  but  when  ap- 
plied to  Christ  it  becomes  light  as  the  day. 

Mendel.  Jesus  was — 

/.  (interrupting  him.)  The  Son  of  God. — All  the 
Jews  assembled  in  the  hall,  listened  with  the  greatest  at- 
tention. My  Greek  servant,  Antonio,  stood  without  the 
door,  and  argued  with  the  Jews  from  Rhodas,  who 
speak  the  Greek  tongue ;  but  alas  !  Antonio  Knows  too 
little  of  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity  to  be  able  to  con- 
vince a  Jew. 

Abraham  Ben  David  becomes  daily  more  bold  in 
maintaining  the  truth,  and  is,  therefore,  persecuted  by 
the  Spanish  Jews.  He  learns  passages  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament by  heart.  After  I  returned  to  my  room,  several 
Jews  who  had  heard  me  arguing,  called  on  me.  Abig- 
don  Eliezer,  whom  I  knew  at  Alexandria,  was  among 
them*     We  argued  till  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

25 


290 

The  Greeks  receive  the  word  of  God  with  gladness 
and  eagerness.  AM6etcc\  AXr^hiccl  is  their  general  excla- 
mation as  soon  as  they  seem  me  in  the  streets,  and  the 
Armenians  follow  their  example.  I  never  take  my  walk 
without  being  asked,  whether  another  stock  of  New- 
Testaments  will  soon  arrive. 

May  6. — Called  on  the  great  Solomon  Ben  Mena- 
hem  Shfiro,  who  is  writing  a  letter  to  Henry  Drum- 
raond,  Esq.  about  the  edition  of  the  Hebrew  Bible. 
The  rich  rabbi  Isaac  Abulawfia,  sent  Abraham  Ben 
David  to  me  to-day,  and  told  me,  that  although  1  have 
promised  no  longer  to  make  presents  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  Hebrew,  I  must  be  so  kind  as  to  lend  it  him  for 
some  time,  and  he  would  return  it  to  me  after  he  had 
read  it.  I  sent  him  immediately  a  copy  of  the  New 
Testament.  When  1  called  on  rabbi  Solomon,  I  heard 
rabbi  Abulawfia  reading  the  New  Testament  with  a 
loud  voice.  He  is  seventy-six  years  of  age,  and  the 
richest  and  one  of  the  most  learned  Jews  in  Palestine. 
Another  great  man,  rabbi  Samuel  Mazari.  listened  to 
Abulawfia  with  attention.  I  entered  his  room  :  he  said 
to  me,  *  A  man  like  me  should  never  burn  a  book,  but 
rather  read  and  examine  it ;  for  you  must  know  that  I 
am  a  great  man  ;  the  family  of  Abulawfia  was  known 
six  hundred  years  ago  in  Palestine.  I  am  in  continual 
correspondence  with  tiie  greatest  rabbies  in  Stambul, 
Alleppo,  and  Damascus.  He  observed  then,  that  the 
Jews  here  will  receive  with  gladness  the  Old  Testament 
without  notes  or  Commentary.  The  Caraite  Jews  call- 
ed on  me  ;  I  gave  them  tracts.  As  to  the  Caraites,  I 
am  sure  they  will  not  burn  them. 

Mayl. — Rabbi  Reuben,  the  Hasid,  called  on  me; 
soon  after  Zabl  Cohen,  rabbi  Solomon  Ben  Israel,  and 
his  son  Isaac.  The  conversation  lasted  for  some  hours. 
Rabbi  Reuben  observed,  that  the  gentleman  who  has 
sent  me  to  Jerusalem,  must  be  a  very  sensible  man, 
for,  if  he  had  sent  another,  no  Jew  would  have  taken 
the  trouble  to  converse  with  him.  I  have  distributed 
some  hundred  Greek  tracts  to-day.  I  have  been  very 
poorly  indeed  to-day ;  and  therefore  called  in  an 
Italian  surgeon,  who  bled  me. 


291 

May  8. — Rabbi  Reuben  called  again  on  me,  and  said, 
that  the  liiid  chapter  of  Isaiah  cannot  be  applied  to  Jesus, 
for  Isaiah  speaksin  the  time  past,  for  ^pn  is  in  i  conver- 
sive.  I  answered,  that  Isaiah  was  a  prophet,  wlio  saw 
in  a  vision,  events  which  should  come  to  pass  concern- 
ing Judah  ;  (Isaiah  i.  1  ;)  and  it  must,  beside  this,  be 
observed,  that  the  chapter  begins,  Isaiah  lii.  13,  "  Be- 
hold, my  servant  shall  deal  prudently;"  which  is  in  the 
future.  Rabbi  Reuben  Hasin  replied,  You  have  an- 
swered very  sensibly  indred.  Rabbi  Isaac  Cohen,  a 
schoolmaster  of  the  Spanish  Jews,  called  on  me,  he  is  a 
very  sensible  man  indeed.  Rabbi  Reuben  Hasid  called 
on  me,  and  I  read  with  him  1  Cor.  i. 

May  10. — Saliba  Stanri,  a  Greek  scholar,  called  on 
me,  and  desired  Greek  tracts.  Rabbi  Joseph  Ben 
Rabi  called  on  me,  argued  for  several  hours,  and  con- 
fessed that  he  was  not  able  to  encounter  my  arguments. 

May  11. — Took  again  a  room  in  the  Armenian  con- 
vent, for  the  house  of  the  Turk  has  been  too  unhealthy. 
I  have  distributed  again  some  hundred  tracts  among  the 
Greek  inhabitants  of  the  holy  city.  I  never  take  a  walk 
without  being  entreated  by  Greeks,  and  Armenians  for 
tracts  and  Bibles,  and  even  by  many  of  the  Catholic  in- 
habitants, in  despite  of  the  excommunication  de'  frati. 

Joseph  Wolf. 

Aleppo,  August  2,  1822. 
After  I  had  remained  three  months  at  Jerusalem,  con- 
versing with  my  brethren  about  Jesus  our  Saviour  and 
Lord,  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  lor  ever,  tiie 
increasing  war  between  the  two  Pachas  of  Acre  and 
Damascus  obliged  me  to  leave  Jerusalem,  and  to  pro- 
ceed on  my  way  to  Aleppo,  to  which  journey  1  was  en- 
couraged by  a  kind  letter  of  the  amiable  Benjamin 
Barker,  Esq.  who  gave  orders  to  all  the  agents  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Malta  Bible  Society,  to  furnish  me 
with  as  many  Bibles  and  Testaments  as  1  might  require. 
I  distributed  a  great  number  of  New  Testaments  at  Bey- 
rout,  Tripolis,  and  Lattachia.  1  met  at  Sgorta,  near 
Tripolis,  an  old,  but  poor  Maronite,  of  much  light  and 


292 

knowledge ;  I  gave  him  twenty-three  Arabic  New  Tes- 
taments, to  distribute  among  the  Maronite  youth  of 
Sgorta,  and  charged  the  old  man  to  read  these  books 
with  the  youth,  for  which  trouble  I  promised  to  him  one 
dollar  every  month  ;  his  name  is  Yussuf  Hawam. 

Mr.  Barker  received  me  with  brotlierly  affection,  he 
had  beiore  furnished  me  with  necessary  Bibles ;  and  on 
my  arrival  here,  he  introduced  me  to  all  the  Consuls, 
and  to  the  most  respectable  Jews,  so  that  hundreds  of 
Jews  often  called  on  me,  to  whom  I  gave  New  Testa- 
ments and  tracts,  and  preached  to  them  the  Gospel  for 
hours.  My  project  of  establishing  a  college,  has  been 
accepted  by  the  French,  Spanish,  and  English  Consuls- 
General,  and  Mr.  Barker  is  appointed  director  of  the 
Institution.  Those  three  Consuls,  and  all  the  Europe- 
an negociants  of  this  place,  have  signed,  and  given  their 
thanks  to  me  for  the  project ;  and  they  desired  me  to 
proceed  to  England,  to  arrange  the  business,  and  send 
out  masters  and  assistance  for  the  building  of  a  house. 
The  European  inhabitants  of  the  Syrian  coast  would 
send  their  children  there.  I  have,  beside  this,  the  satis- 
faction of  mentioning  to  you,  that  the  Jew  Levi,  from 
Leghorn,  a  gentleman  by  education,  is  reading  the  New 
Testament,  and  is  delighted  with  the  moral  precepts 
contained  in  it. 

It  would  be  very  advisable  for  you  to  enter  into  cor- 
respondence with  Mr.  Barker,  who  is  very  zealous  and 
amiable,  and  who  is  able  to  give  you  much  information 
about  Syria  and  Mesopotamia. 

Monsieur  Lesseps,  the  French  Consul- General  of  this 
place,  whose  friendship  I  enjoy,  is  a  very  religious  and 
learned  gentleman.  He  was  formerly  Napoleon's  am- 
bassador at  Morocco,  and  afterwards  ambassador  in 
Philadelphia  ;  he  told  me  he  should  be  glad  if  you 
would  enter  into  correspondence  with  him.  The  Jews 
of  this  place  are  very  ignorant.  Not  far  from  Aleppo 
is  a  village  called  Fetif,  to  which  the  Jews  perform  their 
pilgrimage  to  a  cavern,  where  it  is  said,  Ezra  wrote  a 
leaf  of  the  Torah  on  his  journey  to  Babylon.     With 


•293 

aiany  thanks  to  the  Rev.  Owen  and  his  family,  and  to 
Mrs.  Bay  lord.  Joseph  Wolf. 

Aleppo,  August  1,  1822. 

I  hasten  to  give  you  the  following  accounts  : — Rabbi 
Abraham  Ben  David  Shleifer  has  professed  his  faith  in 
Christ,  at  Jerusalem.  The  result  of  my  conversation 
with  the  Jewish  high-priests,  at  Jerusalem,  was  this, 
that  they  perceived  and  became  persuaded  that  a  better 
spirit  must  exist  among  the  Christians  in  England  than 
among  those  in  the  Levant ;  and  that  the  Gospel  does 
not  contain  the  superstitious  tenets  which  the  Christians 
oft!"  country  practise  ;  and  they  perceive  that  tl>ey 
must  give  to  Judaism  a  more  spiritual  dress,  in  order  to 
gain  ground  with  truly  spiritually-minded  Christians. 
I  gained  their  confidence  so  much,  that  they  consulted 
with  me  about  their  own  business  ;  they  made  me  ac- 
quainted with  the  history  of  Jerusalem  in  the  last  cen- 
tury, and  copied  for  me  the  poetry  of  their  famous  rab- 
bles, about  Jerusalem's  condition,  which  I  shall  send  to 
you  the  next  opportunity.  The  great  Solomon  Sapira, 
who  is  considered  as  the  greatest  Hebrew  critical  scho- 
lar at  Jerusalem,  has  written  a  criticism  upon  the  He- 
brew New  Testament  and  the  Hebrew  Bible  I  gave  to 
him  ;  but  as  he  had  not  finished  when  1  1«  ft  Jerusalem, 
he  wrote  me  a  very  kind  letter  to  Jafia,  and  asked  me  to 
return  to  Jerusalem  ;  for  he  does  not  dare  to  trust  the 
letter  to  any  one  else.  The  political  circumstances  of 
this  country,  the  war  between  the  Pacha  of  D;i mascus 
and  the  Pacha  of  Acre,  did  not,  however,  allow  me  to 
return  to  Jerusalem,  according  to  his  wish.  I  have  dis- 
tributed a  thousand  copies  of  Holy  Writ  at  Jerusalem, 
which  to  my  delight  1  saw  read  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Lydda,  Bethlehem,  Randa,  and  Jaffa. 

Israel  Saiaria,  one  of  the  Samaritans  of  Naplus,  who 
resides  now  at  Jaffa,  has  given  me  lessons  in  the  Samari- 
tan tongue,  made  me  actjuainted  w\th  their  customs  and 
feasts,  and  gave  me  a  manuscript,  wifu  h  contains  the 
history  of  the  Samaritans,  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  Ma- 
homed and  Moses,  written  by  a  Samaritan,  called  Has- 

25* 


294 

san  Alsuri ;  the  Samaritan  texts  cited  in  this  manu- 
script, prove  the  authenticity  of  it.  Hassan  Alsuri 
lived  500  years  ago.  Israel  Smaria  promised  to  go  to 
England,  and  take  with  him  a  great  quantity  of  Samari- 
tan manuscripts.  He  told  me  that  an  Englishman  tried 
to  send  the  whole  body  of  Samaritans  to  England  :  I 
think  he  meant  Lord  Guildford.  When  I  arrived  at 
Beyrout,  Mr.  Laurella,  the  Austrian  Vice-Consul,  deli- 
vered me  a  letter  from  Mr.  Barker,  who  gave  me  the 
kind  permission  of  taking  from  the  depot  of  Testaments, 
in  the  house  of  Laurella,  as  many  as  I  wanted.  I  ac- 
cordingly did  so,  and  sold  a  hundred  Testaments  at 
Beyrout ;  gave  seventy  copies  to  Monsignor  Laurella, 
vicar-general  of  the  Pope,  for  Matthew  Lebauvu,  who 
promised  me  to  distribute  them  in  the  mountains  which 
he  did.  At  Sgorta,  near  Tripolis,  I  met  with  an  old 
Maronite,  whom  I  judged  to  be  fit  for  becoming,  by 
God's  grace,  an  instrument  for  enlightening  his  coun- 
trymen ;  I  made  him,  therefore,  a  present  of  twenty- 
three  Arabic  New  Testaments,  and  desired  him  to  read 
them  with  the  boys  ;  and,  as  he  is  poor,  I  promised  to 
givp  him  eight  piastres  every  month.  I  have  heard  that 
he  performs  his  duty  punctually.  Monsieur  Kegnault, 
the  French  Consul-General  for  Acre  and  Saida,  who  is 
at  present  at  Beyrout,  is  very  kind  to  me  ;  we  have  had 
several  arguments  upon  religion ;  he  told  me  that  he  is 
ready  to  give  you  any  accounts  that  you  may  desire 
from  him  ;  he  desired  from  me  a  French  New  Testa- 
ment, which  I  sent  to  him  from  Lattachia.  I  was  very 
kindly  received  by  Musa  Elias,  the  British  agent  at  Lat- 
tachia ;  [  lodged  in  his  house.  Soon  after  my  arrival 
there,  the  several  Consuls  residing  there  paid  me  a  visit, 
and  promised  me  their  assistance  in  promoting  the  word 
of  God.  1  partly  sold,  partly  gave  gratis,  at  Lattachia, 
I  believe,  124  Arabic  New  Testaments  and  Psalters; 
for  Mr.  Barker  had  written  to  Musa  Elias,  to  furnish 
me  with  the  Testaments  which  are  there.  Bishop  Za- 
chariah,  from  Akar,  wrote  the  British  Vice-Consul  at 
Tripolis,  that  he  wished  me  to  send  bim  an  Arabic  Bi- 
ble. 


295 

I  read  to  the  Jews  at  Antioch  the  sermon  of  St.  Paul, 
when  at  Antioch.  I  distributed  among  them  three  New 
Testaments  and  three  tracts.  They  sung  to  me  some 
hymns  which  tliey  use  in  their  synagogues.  The  Greek 
priests,  at  Antioch,  are  very  ignorant.  I  tried  to  ascer- 
tain from  them,  the  fact  whether  St.  Peter  was  buried  at 
Antioch ;  the  answer  they  gave  was,  that  they  did  not 
live  in  the  time  of  Peter. 

Mr.  Earlier,  British  Consul- General  for  Aleppo,  who 
was  at  that  time  at  Swedia,  six  hours  distant  from  Anti- 
och, was  so  kind  as  to  send  me  a  written  invitation  ;  I 
went  to  him  immediately,  in  the  company  of  JMonsieur 
Vidal,  the  Chancellor  of  the  French  Consulate  at  Bag- 
dad, I  spent  two  very  pleasant  days  ;  for  Mr.  John  Bar- 
ker is  a  gentleman  of  very  good  sense,  much  informa- 
tion, and  a  very  engaging  turn  of  mind,  and  takes  much 
interest  in  the  progress  of  the  church  of  God.  The 
above-mentioned  Monsieur  Vidal  speaks  the  Arabic, 
Turkish,  French,  and  Italian  tongues  perfectly  well  ;  he 
may  be  very  useful  as  an  agent  of  the  British  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society,  by  giving  to  them  accounts  of  the 
customs  and  religions  of  Chaldea. 

I  arrived  at  Aleppo  the  9th  o{  July,  where  1  was 
very  kindly  received  by  Benjamin  Barker,  Esq.  tlie 
agent  general  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
in  whose  person  I  found,  in  every  respect,  a  true  brother 
and  fellow-labourer.  Wherever  I  came  I  met  with  de- 
pots of  Testaments  furnished  by  Benj  Barker,  Esq. ; 
he  introduced  me  immediately  to  John  Van  Messeyk, 
Esq.  the  Dutch  Consul-General,  in  whose  house  1  sleep 
and  eat,  and  who  is  a  very  wise  man  indeed,  and  with 
whom  I  consult.  Mr.  Benj.  Barker  introduced  me  the 
next  day  to  Monsieur  Lesseps,  Consul-General  of 
France,  and  knight  of  the  order  of  St.  Louis.  That 
gentleman  had  been  ambassador  of  Napoleon,  in  Fez, 
in  Morocco  ;  he  travelled  throughout  the  Barbary 
coasts  as  far  as  Tombuktou  ;  he  was  afterwards  Consul- 
General  of  France  in  Philadelphia;  and  he  has  publish- 
ed several  books  about  the  goverimientof  Mo'occo,  and 
the  constitution  of  the  United  States  of  America.     Ho 


296 

is  a  very  interesting,  and  a  very  religious  gentleman. 
He  said  to  me,  A  man  may  be  a  very  moral  man,  but 
the  passions  and  corruptions  of  the  heart  can  be  subdu- 
ed only  by  the  power  of  the  Gospel.  lie  thinks  how- 
ever, that  the  conversion  of  the  Jews,  especially  of  those 
in  the  Levant,  is  the  most  difficult  task  which  a  man 
can  undertake — and  this  is  the  general  opinion.  1  was 
introduced  likewise  to  Monsieur  Durighello,  the  Span- 
ish Consul-General,  in  whose  house  is  a  Jew,  called 
Carolo  de  Brandi,  who  was  baptised  at  Rome.  Mon- 
sieur Durighello  praises  his  uprightness  and  faithful- 
ness ;  I  liave  not  seen  him,  for  he  is  at  present  in  Alex- 
andretta,  sent  on  business  by  Monsieur  Durighello. 
Mr.  Benj.  Barker  introduced  me  then  to  Monsieur  Esdra 
de  Picciotti,  the  Austrian  Consul-General,  Eliand  Pic- 
ciotti,  the  Danish  i  onsul,  and  Raphael  Picciotti,  the 
Russian  Consul ;  all  Jews.  They  were  very  kind  to 
me,  like  the  other  Consuls,  returned  the  visit,  and  pro- 
mised to  subscribe  to  my  project  of  establishing  a  col- 
lege for  the  Europeans  in  Aleppo.  I  have  had  several 
conversations  with  some  hundreds  of  the  Jews  of  this 
place.  1  distributed  tracts  and  Testaments,  and  preached 
the  Gospel  to  them  for  hours  ;  but  I  must  confess  that 
many  of  them  are  bad;  they  bought  the  New  Testa- 
ment from  me  at  a  very  cheap  price,  and  then  took  out 
the  title-page  and  sold  ♦he  paper  to  Turkish  druggists. 
Abominable  felony,  indeed  !  I  prevented  this  proceeding 
by  offering  them  the  New  Testament  at  the  full  price. 
All  the  Francs  residing  here  called  on  me  ;  and 
the  Francs  distmguished  themselves  not  only  by 
their  riches,  but  likewise  by  their  moral,  religious,  and 
gentlemanlike  conduct.  There  are  not  to  be  found 
here  such  bad  fellows  as  at  Cairo.  The  name  of  a 
Franc  is  highly  respected  among  the  Mussulmen  at 
Aleppo,  who  use  the  proverb,  "  La  parola  d'un  Franc  !" 
At  Cairo,  the  contrary,  alas  !  is  the  case.  Mr.  Benj. 
Barker  received,  the  first  three  days  after  my  arrival, 
three  cases  of  Arabic  New  Testaments  and  Psalters, 
which  were  sold  in  two  days.  The  Catholic  Priests 
here  are  not  so  much  against  the  distribution  of  the 
word  of  God,  as  those  of  Jerusalem,     My  project  of 


297 

establishing  a  college  in  Aleppo,  for  the  Francs  resi- 
ding there,  and  for  those  of  the  Syrian  coast,  Trippoli, 
Lattachia,  Cyprus,  Beyrout,  Saida,  Acre,  Jafla,  Alex- 
andria, and  Cairo,  on  the  Lancasterian  system,  will  be 
adopted.  All  the  Christian  Consuls-General,  as  Messrs. 
Lessej^s,  Barker,  and  Durighello,  and  all  the  Catholic 
and  Protestant  inhabitants,  have  signed  the  prospectus 
with  joy  ;  and  J  am  desired  to  return  to  England,  to 
get  your  and  other  kind  friends'  advice.  Monsieur 
Lesseps  has  already  given  notice  of  it  to  his  Majesty  the 
King  of  France,  and  to  the  French  Embassy  at  Con- 
stantinople. The  Jewish  Consul,  displeased  that  we 
have  not  accepted  their  mean  conditions,  have  excluded 
themselves  from  taking  a  part  in  such  a  philanthropic 
enterprise.  You  will  soon  receive  the  plan  of  the  In- 
stitution. Monsieur  Lesseps  gives  me  letters  for  the 
King's  Ministers,  that  I  may  induce  them  to  consult 
with  you  on  this  subject.  The  whole  of  Aleppo  is  now 
in  joy,  and  thank  me  for  my  having  given  them  the  idea. 
In  the  project,  where  the  three  Consuls  and  Mr.  Wolf 
are  desired  to  tell  Mr.  Drummond  and  Mr.  Bayford, 
the  grateful  feeling  of  the  European  inhabitants  of 
Aleppo  towards  them  for  their  philanthropic  feeling,  I 
have  proposed  Benj.  Barker,  Esq.  as  director  of  the  in- 
stitution, which  proposal  was  accepted.  Monsieur 
Lesseps  has  been  my  chief  patron,  besides  Mr.  Benj. 
Barker,  in  bringing  my  project  into  execution.  Mon- 
sieur Vidal,  who  is  returning  to  Bagdad,  has  taken  a 
copy  of  the  project  with  him,  to  procure  subscribers 
among  the  Europeans  in  Bagdad,  and  is  sending  copies 
of  it  to  Calcutta  and  Persia.  Mr.  Vidal  desires  to  en- 
ter into  correspondence  with  you.  I  have  bought  for 
you  most  valuable  manuscripts. 

You  will  not  be  displeased  that  I  return  to  England 
for  the  establishment  of  such  a  school.  Mr.  Ward, 
for  such  a  purpose,  went  from  India  to  England,  and 
from  England  to  America,  and  back  to  England  :  and 
the  situation,  the  climate  in  Aleppo,  and  the  multitude 
of  Europeans,  and  the  hope  that  the  Levantines  them- 
selves may  be  provoked  to  jealousy  by  it,   and    try   to 


\ 


298 


imitate  us  ;  and  the  certainty  that  those  boys,  to  whom 
the  word  of  God  is  given,  must  lil^ewise  read  it;  all 
these  considerations  induce  me  to  lay  the  matter  before 
the  Christian  brethren  in  England,  and  beseech  them 
to  assist  in  such  an  honourable  cause.  Mr.  Benj.  Bar- 
ker is  writing  to  you  about  it;  and  with  much  thankful 
feeling  to  Mr.  B.  Joseph  Wolf. 

Dear  Friend,  Ahxandria  Oct.  7,   1822. 

This  whole  day  two  Greeks,  who  escaped  from  the 
island  of  Chios  to  this  place,  are  reading  together  the 
New  Testament  in  modern  Greek,  which  1  had  made 
them  a  present  of.  I  hear  them  reading,  for  I  lodge  in 
an  inn,  and  occupy  a  room  close  to  their's. 

You  will  have  bj^  this  time  received  the  letters  which 
Benjamin  Barker,  Esq.  and  myself  wrote  to  you  from 
Aleppo,  via  Constantinople,  which  letters  stated,  that 
my  proposal,  for  establishing  a  college  for  the  Europe- 
an and  native  Christians  of  Aleppo,  has  been  adopted  and 
signed  by  the  European  Consul  and  Negociants  of  Alep- 
po; our  letters  have,  likewise,  communicated  to  ^ou  the 
quantity  of  Arabic  Psalters  andNewTestaments  disposed 
of;  and  you  will  know  at  this  time,  thatl  have  read  to  the 
Jews  of  Antioch,  Acts  xiii.  14 — 41,  and  they  paid  the 
greatest  attention  to  me.  You  know  that  that  chapter  was 
addressed  to  the  men  of  Antioch,  "Ye  men  of  Antioch  ;" 
and  Pacifico  Levi,  Isaac  Altaras,  and  some  other  Jews, 
residing  at  Aleppo,  have  seriously  confessed,  openly 
confessed,  that  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  cannot  be  ques- 
tioned. The  Austrian,  Danish,  Russian,  and  Prussian 
Consul-Generals,  who  are  Jews,  visited  me  often,  as  did 
several  hundreds  of  the  most  learned  Jews  of  Aleppo,  so 
that  it  was  necessary  to  place  a  guard  at  the  entrance  of 
the  house  to  keep  them  in  order;  for  Mussulmen,  de- 
sirous to  hear  my  arguments  with  the  Jews,  accompanied 
them.  Several  of  their  rabbies  asked  me  what  1  believed 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  ^  1  told  them,  "  The  Son  of 
God."  They  exclaimed,  *  We  have  neither  seen  nor 
heard  it!'  and  1  replied  to  them,  'I  have  seen  it,  and  I 
have  heard  it.'  Voices  of  other  Jews  present  were  heard, 
'  The  gentleman  speaks  the  truth  !'  1  have  been  preach- 


299 

ifig  to  them  several  hours   without  having  been    inter- 
rupted. 

I  left  Aleppo  on  the  3d  of  August,  and  arrived  at  An- 
tioch  again  on  the  5th,  where  I  stopped  till  the  1 1th  of 
August.  John  Barker,  Esq.  Britisli  Consul-General  of 
Aleppo,  who  was  there  with  his  amiable  family,  told  me, 
that  the  Ansari,  idolaters,  as  they  are  supposed  to  be, 
are  continuing  to  read  the  New  Testaments  1  presented 
to  them.  I  again  distributed  some  Nesv  Testaments  in 
Persian  and  Arabic  ;  left  Antioch  the  12th  of  August, 
and  arrived  in  the  village  Jesia,  near  Lattachia.  The 
heat  induced  me  to  determine  to  sleep  in  the  open  field, 
rather  than  accept  the  kind  offer  of  a  homed  Agha, 
one  of  the  Sliechs  of  the  Ansari,  who  invited  me  to 
sleep  in  his  house,  luhich  was  built  of  stone  ;  and  thus  it 
was  thy  v»'ill,  O  Lord ;  blessed  be  thy  name,  Jesus 
Christ!  possessed  of  glory  and  honour.  As  I  firmly 
insisted  upon  remaining  with  my  servant  in  the  open 
field,  the  Shechs  and  the  other  inhabitants  of  tiie  village 
came  to  talk  vvitli  me  in  Arabic  ;  I  told  them  that  their 
brethren  in  Antioch  had  accepted  copies  of  the  Gospel, 
and  were  reading  them  with  interest.  The  Shech,  Ma- 
homed Agha,  desired  me  to  give  to  him  some  copies, 
and  1  promised  to  comply  with  his  wish  next  morning 
after  my  arrival  in  Lattachia  :  and  thus  we  sat  very 
comfortably  together  on  the  ground,  drinking  milk, 
and  smoking  the  pipe,  and  conversing.  It  was  a  great 
wind — calm  at  nine  o'clock,  and  twenty  minutes  after, 
that  very  evening,  *'  the  Lord  looked  upon  the  earth, 
and  it  trembled  !" — A  terrible  shock,  first  horizontal, 
and  thir-tysix  vertical  ones,  accompanied  by  a  noise 
like  the  thunder  of  cannons,  proceeded  out  from  the 
earth.  1  prayed,  crying  to  Jesus  my  Lord,  and  the 
Ansari  exclaimed,  'Merciful  Lord,  Merciful  Lord!' 
We  first  stood  still  upon  one  place,  but  we  feared  to 
stand  stili  ;  we  leaped  about,  but  we  feared  to  leap 
about  ;  for  the  earth  threatened  every  where  to  open  her 
mouth,  atid  swallow  us  up.  The  falling  of  houses,  the 
shrieks  and  lamentations  of  clying  women  and  babes; 
who  were  plunged  in  the  time  of  sixty  seconds  into  an 


300 

rtwful  eternity,  produced  in  us  all  the  firm  heJief  i\\^ixhe 
judgment  day  of  the  Lord  was  coming !  Mahomed 
Agha  exclaimed,  'This  is  of  the  Lord  !'  The  observation 
of  that  Ansari  makes  me  believe  that  the  sect  are  not 
idolaters,  for  I  cannot  suppose  such  an  observation,  in 
such  a  terrible  moment,  could  be  hypocrisy.  I  felt  more 
than  ever  the  force  of  the  passage  in  the  sacred  writ, 
saying,  *'  Ye  mountains,  fall  on  us  ;  ye  hills,  cover  us!" 
I  can  say,  that  I  was  the  instrument,  in  the  Lord's  hand, 
of  saving  tiie  lives  of  many  persons;  for  ifl  had  ac- 
cepted the  offer  of  the  Shech,  and  had  entered  their 
houses,  we  had  all  become  victims  of  the  terrible  earth- 
quake. The  earthquake  was,  after  the  terrible  shocks, 
felt  repeatedly  Gsevy  hour,  two  and  three,  and  often  four 
times,  through  the  whole  night.  I  went  the  next  day  to 
Lattachia,  but  perceived  that  all  the  inhabitants  were 
out  of  town,  in  the  open  field,  having  left  their  proper- 
ty behind,  which  was  buried  under  the  ruins  of  their 
houses.  I  saw  many  naked,  and  they  went  not  back 
to  take  their  clothes;  and  1  saw  sucking  children  fain- 
ting away,  for  they  drank  the  milk  of  terror.  "Woe 
unto  them  that  were  w  ith  child,  and  to  them  that  gave 
suck  in  that  day!"  I  went  first  to  see  the  Francs  of  the 
town,  and  then  the  Greeks;  they  were  all  with  pale 
faces,  and  with  tears  in  their  eyes;  and  those,  who  re- 
ceived me  on  my  first  arrival  at  Lattachia  with  kind 
countenances,  were  so  taken  up  with  sorrows,  heaviness, 
and  terrors,  that  the  mother  did  not  mind  the  cries  of 
her  babes.  One  hundred  and  fifty  houses  were  utterly 
destroyed,  and  some  hundreds  of  persons  lost  their 
lives.  It  did  not  cost  me  much  trounle  to  induce  both 
Catholics  and  Greeks  to  kneel  down  with  me,  and  to 
pray  to  our  Ijord  Jesus  Christ.  Even  those  prayed, 
who,  in  the  time  of  peace  and  ease,  had  denied  the 
Saviour's  benefits  ;  but  earthquakes  interrupted  our 
prayers.  I  sent  immediately  several  expresses  to  An- 
tioch,  which  cost  me  altogether  eleven  dollars,  to  learn 
what  had  become  of  Mr.  John  Barker  and  his  family, 
for  liews  arrived  at  Lattachia,  that  Antioch,  Swedia, 
Scanderoon^  and  Aleppo,  had  been   utterly  destroyed. 


301 

and  this  news  was  true.  I  received  an  answer  from 
John  Barker,  Esq.  and  at  the  same  time  an  express  ar- 
rived sent  to  me  by  Benjamin  Barker,  Esq.  informing 
me  that  John  Barker,  Esq.  his  wife,  and  little  girl,J^B('n- 
jamin  Barker,  Esq.  and  all  the  European  Christians  of 
Aleppo,  had  been  saved  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord. 
John  Barker,  Esq.  was  just  going  to  bed  when  the  shock 
took  place;  the  wall  of  the  room,  and  the  stairs,  all 
gave  way  in  a  moment,  and  John  Barker,  Esq.  and 
his  wife,  were  precipitated  on  the  ground,  and  buried 
under  the  ruins,  and  thus  carried  out  safely,  only  with 
some  trifling  scratches.  Benjamin  Barker,  Esq.  was 
seriously  wounded,  but  is  now  cured — but  all  the  towns, 
villages,  and  cottages,  twenty  leagues  around  Aleppo, 
have  been  utterly  destroyed;  forty  thousand  of  our  fel- 
low-creatures have  lost  their  lives.  The  Jew  Esdra  de 
Picciotti,  the  Austrian  Consul-General,  lost  his  life, 
and  was  buried  under  his  sixteen  slain  horses.  At 
Aleppo,  are  25,000  souls  buried  under  dead  horses, 
cats,  and  dogs.  1  here  were  3000  Jews  at  Aleppo ; 
2.500  of  them  became  victims  of  the  earthquake  ;  their 
ancient  synagogues,  from  the  time  of  the  second  temple, 
have  been  utterly  destroyed.  Not  one  single  house  at 
Aleppo  has  remained  whole.  Spirits  of  those  rabbies  ! 
when  1  told  you  that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God,  you  ex- 
claimed, '  We  have  neither  seen  nor  heard  it !'  Spirits  of 
those  rabbies,  it  seems  to  me,  that  you  are  now  standing 
before  me,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  I  hear  you  exclaim- 
ing, "  We  do  now  see  it — we  do  now  hear  it — That 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  !" — Many  of  those  children 
who  were  designed  to  be  sent  to  my  projected  college, 
are  now  in  another  college — in  the  college  of  the  other 
world. 

Dear  friends,  1  beseech  you,  weep  with  me !  For 
many  children  died  after  the  earthquake,  they  sucked 
the  milk  of  terror  at  their  mother's  breast!  1  sat  the 
20th  of  Aug.  on  the  ground  in  the  garden  of  the  Greeks, 
and  wrote  a  letter, — a  terrible  earthquake  took  place 
again  !  And  lamentation  of  children  and  women,  and 
young  and  old  men  !     Thou,  O  Lord,  let  us  never  for- 

26 


302 

get  it,  thou  dost  neither  shimber  nor  sleep  !  And  in  the 
inevitable  fate,  unbelieving  Turks  have  been  killed 
again,  in  all  the  towns  of  the  Pashalic  of  Aleppo,  for 
disobedience  to  the  Gospel's  warning.  Those  who  were 
in  the  field  returned  back  to  take  their  clothes.  Some 
days  before  my  departure  from  Lattachia,  a  caravan  of 
Turks  arrived  from  Aleppo.  I  met  them  in  the  field. 
They  were  soldiers.  Turkish  soldiers.  They  asked 
me  :  "  Are  you  in  peace  !" 

/.  In  peace,  praise  be  unto  God,  the  Lord  of  the 
worlds  ! 

Turks.  Aleppo  is  gone,  Aleppo  is  no  more  !  and 
saying  this,  they  began  to  beat  their  breast,  and  they 
lifted  up  their  voice,  and  cried  and  wept,  and  exclaimed, 
"  This  was  of  the  Lord,  this  was  of  the  Lord  !" 

I  desired  Musa  Elias,  the  British  Agent  of  Lattachia, 
to  furnish  me  with  some  copies  of  the  Arabic  New  Tes- 
tament, to  distribute  among  the  poor  and  afflicted,  but 
the  whole  stock  has  been  buried  under  the  ruins,  and 
nobody  dares  to  enter  tlie  town  to  excavate  their  buried 
property.  Poor  Musa  Elias,  and  many  of  the  Europe- 
ans, have  lost  all  their  property.  Shocks  have  been 
felt  four  and  five  times  throughout  forty  days.  What 
an  awful  instance  of  the  power  of  God  !  I  left  Latta- 
chia the  29th  of  August,  and  arrived  at  Cyprus  the  4th 
of  September.  Mr.  Vondiziano  received  me  very  kind- 
ly indeed.  He  is  British  Consul  General  of  the  islands. 
He  gave  me  a  room  in  his  house. 

All  the  European  Consuls,  not  one  excepted,  request- 
ed that  the  College,  which  I  intended  to  establish  at 
Aleppo,  should  be  established  at  Cyprus.  The  prospec- 
tus was  drawn  out,  signed  by  all  the  nine  Consuls  of 
Cyprus,  and  all  the  Europeans  of  Cyprus.  Mr.  Capa- 
ra,  the  Austrian  Consul-General  of  that  island,  and  Mr. 
Neville,  the  Chancellor  of  the  English  Consulate,  desire 
tracts  and  Bibles  for  distribution. 

Two  Greek  priests,  and  their  two  servants,  have  been 
condemned  to  death,  by  receiving  a  thousand  stripes,  at 
the  command  of  both  the  Governor  of  the  island,  and 
the  General  of  the  troops,  and  have  been  already  put 


303 

into  prison.  As  they  were  not  protected  by  the  Con- 
suls, no  consul  thought  it  advisable  to  interfere.  I  first 
asked  the  English  Consul,  whether  he  had  any  objec- 
tion to  my  going  to  the  Governor  and  the  General,  to 
ask  from  them  as  a  favour,  the  lives  of  die  two  priests 
and  their  servants.  As  the  Coniul  had  no  objection,  I 
went  immediately  to  both  Turks,  i.  e.  the  General  and 
the  Governor.  I  shewed  them  my  firman,  which  the 
Right  Hon.  Lord  Strangford  was  so  gracious  as  to  pro- 
cure for  me  from  the  Porte,  and  the  letter  of  recom- 
mendation procured  to  me  by  Mr.  Salt,  from  Mahomed 
Ali,  Vice-King  of  Egypt.  They  complied  with  my 
w  ish,  and  both  the  Greek  priests,  and  their  two  servants 
were  immediately  set  free.  1  myself  went  to  the  prison, 
and  took  them  with  me  to  the  English  Consulate. 

Two  noblemen  of  the  Greek  nation  were  condemned 
to  death,  before  I  arrived  at  that  island.  One  of  them 
was  beheaded,  and  all  his  property  confiscated  ;  and  the 
otiier  saved  his  life  by  the  exclamation  :  "  There  is  one 
God,  and  Mahomed  is  the  Prophet  of  God," — he  apos- 
tatized. The  two  boys  of  both,  the  one  of  them  eleven 
years  of  age,  and  the  other  fourteen,  ran  the  danger  of 
being  taken  by  the  Turks,  and  of  being  educated  ia 
Mahomedan  night.  I  took  them  with  me,  with  the 
written  consent  and  permission  of  their  mothers,  and 
the  British  Consul-General,  and  the  approbation  of  all 
the  European  Consuls,  and  all  the  European  inhabi- 
tants of  tlie  island  ;  they  are  now  with  me  here  in  Alex- 
andria ;  they  cause  me  mucli  joy  ;  they  have  talent,  and 
I  intend  to  send  them  to  England,  where  they  may  be 
educated  in  science  and  vital  Christianity,  and  be  sent 
back  as  missionaries  to  their  own  nation  ;  they  read 
and  write,  and  speak  modern,  and  understand  the  an- 
cient Greek,  and  they  know  a  little  Italian.  I  am  sure 
that  you,  Mr.  B.,  Mr.  S.,  Mrs.  D.,  and  Dr.  F.,  will  take 
care  of  them. 

At  •  yprus,  there  are  no  Jews,  and  the  reason  is  this. 
There  were  many  Jews  at  Cyprus,  some  hundred  years 
ago,  but  it  came  into  their  mind  to  establish  a  new  Pa- 
lestine upon  that  island ;  in  their  fanaticism  they  raur- 


304 

tiered  many  thousand  of  the  Gentile  inhabitants,  but 
were  finally  compelled  to  lay  down  their  arms,  and  fly 
from  the  island. 

I  arrived  at  Damiat  the  24th  of  September,  1 822.  I 
explained  to  Mr.  Surrur,  the  British  Vice-Consul  of 
that  town,  the  object  of  the  Bible  Society,  and  the  ob- 
ject of  the  Society  for  promoting  Christianity  among 
the  Jews.  He  answered  to  me,  in  a  letter,  that  he  will 
most  readily  promote  the  cause  of  both  Societies.  At 
Damiat  there  are  twenty  Jewish  families,  and  some 
thousand  Catholic  and  schismatic  Greeks. 

Rabbi  Maimon,  the  most  learned  Jew  of  Damiat,  cal- 
led on  me ;  I  read  with  him  the  Prophets  and  the  Gos- 
pel, and  gave  him  a  New  Testament  in  Hebrew ;  he 
promised  to  read  it  attentively,  and  after  one  month,  to 
tell  the  result  of  his  inquiry  to  Mr.  Surrur. 

I  arrived  at  Alexandria  the  4th  of  October,  where  I 
was  received  with  true  brotherly  cordiality  by  Mr.  Salt, 
his  lady,  and  mother-in-law,  and  Mr.  Lee  and  his  fami- 
ly ;  they  were  just  at  dinner  ;  they  invited  me  immedi- 
ately to  dine  with  them,  and  Mr.  Salt  delivered  to  me 
the  letters  which  Mr.  Drummond  sent  to  him,  in  which  1 
found  a  letter  of  my  dear  Mr.  S.  and  Mrs.  D.  Mr.  Salt 
promised  me  to  introduce  me  to  his  Royal  Highness  the 
Vice-King  of  Egypt,  and  he  immediately  desired  Mr. 
Bogos  to  introduce  me  to  that  great  personage.  I  was 
introduced  to  His  Royal  Highness  ;  he  asked  me  to  sit 
down  at  the  right  hand,  and  a  cup  of  coffee  was  brought 
to  me.  As  the  etiquette  requires  that  he  should  be  ad- 
dressed in  the  Turkish  tongue,  Mr.  Bogos  was  my  in- 
terpreter. I  thanked  his  Royal  Highness  for  the  letter 
he  gave  to  me  before  my  departure  for  Syria,  which  let- 
ter, I  said  to  him,  had  not  only  been  of  great  use  to  me 
in  his  own  territories,  but  was  highly  respected  by  all 
the  governors  throughout  Syria.  I  told  him  farther, 
that  his  name  and  his  glorious  deeds,  the  battles  he 
fought,  and  the  Wachabiies  he  subdued,  are  the  general 
subjects  of  which  the  caravans  sing,  and  that  his  name 
is  a  sure  and  safe  passport  among  the  Arabs  of  the  de- 
sert  of  Bagdad.     He   was  exceedingly  pleased  witt 


305 

these  accounts ;  he  asked  me  how  long  I  had  been  from 
Jerusalem.  1  told  his  Royal  Hiijhness  that  I  had  pro- 
jected the  establishment  of  a  college  for  the  inhabitants 
of  Aleppo,  which  was  accepted  with  a  heartfelt  joy,  but 
the  earthquake  rendered  it  impossible  to  carry  it  into 
execution  there  ;  [  asked  his  Royal  Highness  whether 
he  would  permit  my  friends,  Henry  Drummond,  Esq., 
and  John  Bayford,  Esq.,  and  my  other  friends  in  Eng- 
land, to  establish  such  a  college  in  Bulaka,  near  Cairo  ? 
His  Royal  Highness  replied  ;  "  1  have  not  the  least  ob- 
jection ;  and  you  may  write  to  your  friends,  that  1  per- 
mit it  with  the  greatest  pleasure."  He  told  me  that  he 
has  already  begun  to  establish  a  little  institution  at  Bu- 
laka, which  is  under  the  inspection  of  Heggio  Osman 
Nourreddin.  I  said,  that  I  had  the  pleasure  of  knowing 
Haggio  Osman  Nourreddin,  and  1  should  be  very  glad 
if  his  Highness  would  send  him  to  England  for  some 
time.  His  Highness  observed  that  he  intended  to  do  so 
some  time  or  other. 

1  he  Vice-King  of  Egypt  is  much  like  Pope  Pius  Vlf., 
in  his  outward  appearance — only  of  a  stronger  constitu- 
tion. Henry  Salt,  Esq.  himself  called  on  the  8th  of  Oc- 
tober on  his  Highness  to  speak  with  him,  to  see  whether 
he  was  really  disposed  to  keep  his  promise  with  respect 
to  the  establishment  of  a  school  at  Bulaka,  and  he  found 
him  really  so,  which  you  will  see  by  the  memorandum 
of  Mr.  Salt  himself.     Speak  about  this  with  Mr.  Allen. 

My  Greek  boys  are  very  diligent.  I  confess  that  it 
gives  me  more  joy  to  do  good  to  a  Gentile  than  to  a 
Jew  ;  and  since  I  have  those  two  boys  with  me,  the 
love  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  becomes  more  sweet  to 
me. 

With  the  humblest  respects  to  Lady  H.,  and  recom- 
mending myself  to  her  ladyship's  and  your's,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  B.'s  and  S-'s,  and  Mrs.  D.'s  and  all  the  Society's 
prayers.  1  remain,  yours,  he. 

Joseph  Wolf. 

No  personal  insult  took  place  against  me  in  Jerusa- 
lem) except  that  the  Catholics  publicly  preached  against 

.20* 


306 

iae  ;  tliey  accused  me  likewise  to  the  governor  as  one 
who  desired  to  convert  Turks.  The  governor  did  not 
listen  to  them,  and  remained  firmly  my  triend.  The  let- 
ter he  wrote  to  Henry  Drummond,  Esq.  will  convince 
you  of  it.  Jews  wrote  to  me  after  my  departure,  that  I 
should  return  to  Jerusalem.  Greeks  and  Armenians, 
and  even  many  Catholics,  walked  upon  Sion,  and  in  the 
valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  and  read  the  Gospel,  and  ex- 
claimed ;  "  Truth  !  wonderful !''  But  you  will  have 
received  my  Journals  by  this  time.  I  have  employed 
a  man  in  the  mountains,  Jussuf  Hawam  by  name,  an 
old  Maronite,  at  Sgorta,  near  Tripoli,  to  read  the  New 
Testament  in  Arabic,  with  the  boys ;  for  which  1  pro- 
mised him  every  month  one  dollar. 

Dear  Friend,  Alexandria,  Oct.  21,  1822. 

Peter  Lee,  Esq.  himself  has  had   the  kindness  to  hi- 
troduce  me,  for  the  second  time,  to  the  viceroy  Maho- 
med Ali,  of  Egypt.     His  Highness  received  me  again 
with  his  former  condescension  and  kindness.     Mr.  Lee 
again  desired  of  his  Highness  an  explanation  of  the  per- 
mission  he  gave  me    to  establish  a  school  at  Bulaka, 
according  to  the  Lancasterian  principle.     As  his  whole 
room  was  filled  with  Turks,  he  desired  them  all  to  leave 
the  room,  and  then  observed,  that  he   wished   with  all 
his  heart  to  have  such  an  establishment,  but  he  was  only 
afraid  that  if  those   philanthropic  personages  of  Eng- 
land were  to  send   masters,  and  those  masters  after  all 
did  not  find  many  pupils,  on  account  of  the  ignorance 
of  the  people,  they  would  lay  all  the  fault  upon  him,  i.  e. 
upon  his  Highness  himself;  he  wishes,  therefore,  that 
those  gentlemen,   as   Mr.  D.  and  others,  would   be  so 
kind  as  to  put  down  their  plan  on  paper,  and  send  it  to 
Mr.  Lee,  or  Mr.  Salt,  who  will  lay  it  before  his  Highness. 
And   his  Royal   Highness  thinks,   that  in  one  year  the 
whole   project   may  be   brought  into  execution.     His 
Highness  repeated  again  his  hearty  desire  of  having  such 
an  establishment,  but  on  account  of  the  ignorance  of  the 
people,   he  wishes   that   it   should   be   done   gradually. 
Both  Mr.  Lee  and  myself  told  him,  that  we  have  exam- 


307 

pies  of  the  most  ignorant  people  wlio  have  been  gradu- 
ally civilized  ;  and  1  told  him,  that  his  Highness's  name 
would  be  celebrated  by  all  the  cultivated  natives  of  the 
earth.  1  beg  you,  therefore,  dear  friends,  entertain  a 
Strict  correspondence  with  Mr.  Salt  and  Mr.  Lee  for 
this  purpose.  I  am  now  going  directly  to  Malta,  and 
there  I  expect  your  answer. 

I  have  already  mentioned  to  you,  that  I  have  taken 
with  me  from  Cyprus,  two  Greek  boys  of  promising  ta- 
lents, the  one  fourteen  and  the  other  eleven  years  of  age  ; 
the  father  of  the  younger  one  has  been  put  to  death,  the 
other  renounced  Christianity  to  save  his  life  ;  trying  to 
save  his  life,  he  lost  it.  I  saved  the  boy  from  the  tyran- 
ny of  the  Turks.  I  am  sure  you  will  not  be  displeased 
that  I  have  taken  this  step,  for  it  was  not  only  approved 
of  by  all  the  consuls  of  Cyprus,  but  likewise  by  all  the 
Europeans  of  Alexandria,  who  told  me,  that  I  could  not 
have  given  a  greater  proof  of  the  true  spirit  of  Christi* 
anity  than  by  such  an  action — and  Jews  are  astonished 
to  see  one  of  their  brethren  practice  such  an  act  of  cha- 
rity towards  two  Gentiles.  If  ^#u  think  that  I  might 
send  them  to  England,  I  will  procure  them  at  Malta  a 
very  cheap  passage,  by  means  of  my  friends  there  ;  or 
if  you  should  think  that  they  had  better  be  sent  to  Corfu, 
1  beg  you  to  write  about  them  to  the  Right  Hon.  Lord 
Guildford  ;  they  write  perfectly  well  the  modern  Greek, 
speak  it,  and  read  and  understand  the  ancient  Greek. 
The  American  Missionary  Society,  T  know,  want  Le- 
vantine boys  ;  I  am  sure  that  they  would  take  them  at 
Boston,  if  they  should  be  recommended  to  them  by  you, 

1  must  return  to  a  Jew  at  Jerusalem,  and  mention  to 
you  a  conversation  1  had  wiih  him.  The  name  of  that 
Jew  was  Zabel  Cohen.  R.  Zabel  Cohen  was  one  day 
in  the  Medrash  (i.  e.  Jewish  college)  at  ihe  time  1  was 
at  Jerusalem  ;  1  was  astonished  to  see  among  his  disci- 
ples, boys  seven  years  of  age,  who  read  the  supersti- 
tious disputations  of  the  Talmud  with  the  greatest  faci- 
lity. 1  desired  rabbi  Zabel  Cohen  to  shake  hands  with 
me. 


308 

Rahhi  Zahel  Cohen,  No,  I  cannot  shake  hands  with 
you,  for  it  does  break  my  heart  as  often  as  I  look  on 
you,  for  you  are  of  so  much  uuderstauding,  a  lover  of 
Israel,  and  a  son  of  a  rabbi,  so  that,  if  you  had  come  to 
Jerusalem  faithful  to  the  Jewish  religion,  the  greatest 
man  of  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  had  given  you  his  daugh- 
ter for  a  wife ;  but  now  it  is  a  pity,  it  is  a  pity^  it  is  a 
pity. 

1.  To  know  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners, 
must  be  preferred  to  all  the  daughters  of  the  great  men 
of  this  world. 

R,  Zahel  Cohen.  I  am  not  able  to  argue  with  you, 
but  I  can  only  say,  that  it  is  a  great  pity. 

1  intend  to  return  from  Malta  to  Jerusalem,  and  then 
I  will  visit  Safet,  which  is  called  Galilee. —  Gelil,  in 
Josh.  xxi.  7,  was  one  of  the  cities  of  refuge  for  the  man- 
slayers.  Simon  Bar  Johai  resided  there,  but  his  proper 
native  place  is  Tiberias,  which  is  called  Rakaret  Kinna- 
ret^  in  Joshua  xix.  "ob,  and  Famias,  in  the  Gemara  of 
Sanhedrin,  in  Perek  Helek  :  and  Targum  Onkelos  knew 
Tiberias  under  the  liSme  of  Genusar  ;  the  Talmudical 
legends  relate  many  things  about  those  two  places,  Ti- 
berias and  Safet.  Rabbi  Akiba,  upon  whom  may  be 
peace,  lived  at  Tiberias,  with  his  four  and  twenty  thou- 
sand disciples,  all  those  disciples  were  killed  in  less  than 
filly  days  by  the  plague^  by  an  immediate  decree  of  the 
Holy  One,  blessed  be  he,  on  account  of  their  continual 
disputes  and  envy.  This  story  puts  me  in  mind  of  the 
Catholic  legend  of  St.  Ursula,  and  her  twelve  thousand 
maidens  ;  they  were  all  buried  in  a  church  at  Cologne, 
in  Germany.  It  is  likewise  believed,  that  the  Messiah 
will  make  his  first  appearance  in  Safet,  according  to  the 
assertion  of  the  Suliar.  In  the  Gemara  of  Orla  and 
IJalla,  much  is  spoken  of  Safet. 

The  following  great  men  of  the  Tanaim^  in  ancient 
times,  who  composed  the  Mishna,  lived  at  Safet  ;  rahbi 
Kahana  ;  rabbi  Jehia,  and  his  sons  ;  rabbi  Pinehas  Ben 
loir. 

Oct,  21. — Rabbi  Alexandria  Ben  Ishak,  from  Tibe- 
rias, called  on  nie,  together  with  his  son  j  he  is  seventy- 
five  years  of  age. 


309 

/.  I  wonder  that  you  travel  about,  for  you  are  such 
an  aged  man. 

Rabbi  Alexaadria. — 1  am  a  poor  Jew  from  Poland, 
residing  at  Safet,  and  desire  to  marry  my  son  to  one  of 
the  daughters  of  Israel,  and  for  this  reason  I  will  collect 
so  much,  that  1  may  be  enabled  to  give  him  some  hun- 
dred })iasters  on  liis  wedding-day  ;  but  I  may  apply, 
with  respect  to  my  journey,  the  words  of  the  Mishna  of 
Sabbath,  the  twenty-fourth  treatise  ;  *  One,  whose  cir- 
cumstances become  dark,  goes  to  travel  about,  and  after 
that  he  has  gained  something,  he  gives  his  money  to  the 
idolater;  if  no  idolater  is  there,  he  gives  it  to  the  ass, 
and  then  he  returns  empty,  just  as  he  set  out :  for  you 
must  know,  that  the  times  for  Israel,  on  account  of  the 
multitude  of  our  sins,  are  now  so  troublesome  and  so 
dark,  that  when  one  goes  out  to  collect  something  for 
his  poor  family,  before  he  comes  home,  he  is  obliged  to 
give  all  he  has  acquired  either  to  the  Turk  or  to  the  ass- 
driver  ;  and  thus  it  is  on  account  of  the  abundance  of 
our  sins.'  But  1  must  (rabbi  Alexandria  continued) 
make  a  proposal  to  you,  and  hope  your  excellency  will 
not  be  displeased. 

/.  Not  at  all. 

Rabbi  Alexandria. — T  observe  that  your  Excellency 
has  learned  much  learning,  and  that  your  Excellency 
is  amiable  with  much  amiableness  ;  I  beg  you,  thtre- 
fore,  to  go  back  with  me  to  Safa,  to  live  there  as  a 
Jew,  and  marry  a  pious  and  virtuous  daughter  in  Israel, 
and  make  ofyour  chihlren  lights  in  Israel. 

I.  I  was  a  Jew  by  birth,  and  am  a  strict  believer  in 
Moses  and  the  Prophets;  but  the  grace  of  the  Lord  has 
convinced  me  by  reading  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  that 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  very  Son  of  God  ;  God  over  all, 
blessed  for  ever,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

Rabbi  Alexandria.  1  can  believe  that  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth was  the  Messiah,  for  the  Messiah  was  born  \u  every 
age,  in  Poland  and  Jerus^alem. 

/.  The  Scripture  tells  us  no  such  things.  I  showed 
him  the  New  Testament,  and  read  to  iiim  some  passages 
Qf  it ;  he  listened  with  the  greatest  attention.     1  asked 


310 

Iiim  whether  he  would  accept  the  book  and  read  it,  and 
then  tell  me  his  opinion  of  it. 

Rabbi  Alexandria.  Such  a  book  must  be  read  with 
due  attention ;  1  could  not,  therefore,  return  it  for  some 
Wieks. 

/.   I  make  you  a  present  of  this  book. 

Rabbi  Alexandria  took  hold  of  my  hand  to  kiss  it, 
and  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  that  your  Excellency  may  live 
a  hundred  years,  and  rejoice  with  a  great  joy !  '  He 
told  me,  after  this,  the  account  which  1  so  often  heard 
mentioned  at  Jerusalem,  viz.  the  transition  of  Count 
Hadozky  to  the  Jewish  creed.  I  told  him  I  did  not 
wonder  at  it,  of  one  who  saw  the  folly,  the  superstition, 
and  the  abominable  idolatry  practised  and  sanctioned 
in  and  by  Popery,  and  did  not  know  the  precious  doc- 
trines of  the  Go&pel. 

1  have  already  preached  three  times  at  Alexandria  ; 
once  in  German,  and  twice  in  the  English  language. 
Mr.  Dumreicher,  the  Danish  Consul,  gave  me  his  room 
to  assemble  the  people  there  every  Sunday,  and  Mr.  Lee 
gave  to  me  his  hall  for  divine  service,  according  to  the 
Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  to  preach  a  ser- 
mon in  the  English  language. 

The  blessings  of  God  are  visible  in  my  weak  under- 
takings. 

\.  iMessrs. and ,  two  Germans,  be- 
come so  seriously  disposed,  that  they  are  now  reading 
the  Bible  and  the  several  publications  of  tracts  with 
which  1  furnished  them. 

2.  S<"vtral  others  who  clearly  and  boldly  professed 
infidehty,  begin  to  speak  witli  more  respect  about  the 
word  of  God,  and  have  acknowledged  that  faith  is  the 
only  medium  of  pr :>curing  rest  to  the  soul ;  and  they  de- 
plore that  they  have  r»o*.  the  gift  of  faith. 

Anotlier,  who  is  very  wise,  read  the  Bible,  and  told  me 
in  the  evening  at  supper,  in  the  presence  of  sixteen  other 
gentlemen,  that  he  had  read  a  great  portion  of  the  Bible 
that  day  ;  but  that  he  found  a  great  many  contradictions 
in  it.     His  name  is  Mr.  G.,  a  French  merchant. 

I  desired  him  to  point  out  to  me  the  contradictions, 


311 

Mr.  G.  Is  it  not  said  in  Scripture  that,  in  the  time  of 

tJie  deluge,  tlie  whole  world  was  destroyed  ? 

I.  Surely,  except  Noah  and  his  family,  and  one  pair 
of  every  kind  of  animals. 

Air.  G.  How  was  it  then  possible  that  the  book  of 
Moses  was  preserved  in  the  time  of  the  deluge,  as  it  is 
said  that  all  things  perished? 

/.  How  was  it  possible  that  the  writings  of  Voltaire 
were  not  destroyed  in  the  time  of  the  deluge  ?  The 
books  of  Moses  were  not  destroyed  in  the  time  of  the 
deluge;  for  they  were  written  many  centuries  after  the 
deluge. 

Mr.  G.  How  does  it  happen  that  neither  Homer,  nor 
Socrates  made  mention  of  Christ  ? 

L  Christ  was  born  many  centuries  after  them. 

These  are  the  literal  questions  of  a  diligent  reader  of 
the  writings  of  Voltaire  :  the  questions  not  of  a  peasant, 
but  of  a  gentleman  who  was  educated  dans  les  Lycees  de 
la  France,  in  the  time  of  the  great  Napoleon. 

As  soon  as  you  have  written  to  me  what  to  do  with 
the  two  boj's,  1  shall  continue  my  journej^  to  Persia, 
via  Jerusalem,  in  the  company  of  Monsieur  Berggren, 
aumonier  and  chaplain  to  the  Swedish  embassy  of  Con- 
stantinople who  travels  at  the  expense  of  his  Majesty 
the  King  of  Sweden,  whose  acquaintance  1  formed  at 
Alexandria,  a  year  ago,  and  again  in  Syria,  and  who 
wrote  to  me  lately  from  Constantinople,  that  I  should 
accompany  him  on  his  voyage  to  Persia  and  Bombay. 
He  is  ready  to  stay  in  one  place  as  long  as  I  think  ne- 
cessary. 

Some  years  ago  there  was  a  Roman  Catholic  mission 
at  Mosoul  ;  but,  as  they  were  not  liked,  they  left  the 
place :  they  were  Dominican  friars,  and  lived  together 
in  a  convent,  which  now  stands  empty.  If  you  have  no 
objection,  I  could  settle  myself  at  Mosoul,  and  travel 
about  from  time  to  time  in  several  parts  of  Persia,  India 
and  China.  To  all  appearance,  the  Lord,  who  gives 
me  the  means  in  hand  for  the  execution  of  his  pur[)oses, 
may  crown  that  mission  with  success.  ]\lr.  Boghos,  the 
first  interpreter  to  his  Highness,  the  Pacha  of  Egypt, 


312 

who  is  an  Armenian,  and  highly  revered  and  respected 
by  his  nation,  has  given  me  a  strong  letter  of  introduc- 
tion to  the  enlightened  and  powerful  Patriarch  of  the  Ar- 
menian nation,  residing  at  Constantinople,  in  order  that 
he  may  listen  to  me,  when  I  propose  to  him  to  unite  the 
Armenian  church  with  the  Protestant  churches  of  Eu- 
rope, and  to  declare  the  Bible  as  the  only  authority  in 
matters  of  faith.  Mr.  Boghos  has  likewise  given  me 
letters  for  his  friends  in  Smyrna,  in  order  that  they  may 
recommend  me  to  the  most  respectable  of  the  Armenian 
nation  in  Constantinople  and  Ech-Miazin.  I  beg  you 
to  send  me  a  letter  of  introduction  to  the  Right  Hon. 
Lord  Strangford.  It  is  true  that  Lord  Strangford  is 
not  at  Constantinople  at  present,  but  he  may  return.  I 
should  be  much  obliged  to  you,  likewise  to  procure  me 
a  letter  for  the  French  Ambassador  at  Constantinople, 
who  may  give  me  letters  to  the  Catholic  convent  at 
Jerusalem  on  my  return  there. 

My  dress  is  now  in  a  sad  situation,  as  the  expence  I 
was  at  for  the  boys,  did  not  permit  me  to  dress  myself. 

I  beg  you  therefore  to  write  to  Mrs.  S ,  who  knows 

the  tailor  as  well  as  the  shoemaker  in  London,  who  have 
my  measure,  that  she  may  send  me  some  clothes ;  for 
one  is  much  respected  in  an  English  dress. 

Oct,  23. — After  I  observed  that  Mr.  Leopold  d'l . 

a  merchant  of  Alexandria,  who   is  the  son  of  Monsieur 

Domque  d'l ,  Vice-Dome  de   S.    A.   Monsieur   le 

Prince  de  Porzia,  of  Klagenfurt,  in  Carinthia,  was  per- 
suaded at  last  that  the  Bible  is  a  most  useful  book,  I  tried 
to  induce  him  to  promise  me  to  promote  the  cause  of 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  in  his  native 
country,  especially  as  he  is  now  about  to  depart  from 
hence,  via  Trieste,  to  his  native  place,  Klagenfurt.  I 
addressed  myself  to  him  in  the  form  of  a  letter,  to  which 
he  wrote  me  an  answer  in  duplicate  which  I  send  to  you. 
I  send  to  you  likewise  the  letter  of  Mr.  Letzen,  another 
merchant,  who  promised  to  give  five  dollars  every  ^ear 
to  the  Bible  Society,  on  his  return  to  Germany. 

Oct  26. — 1  undertook  the  distribution  of  Bibles  and 
Testaments,  which  1  began,  by  distributing  first  the  Re- 


313 

ports  of  the  Bible  Society,  whicli  Mr.  Lee  was  so  kind 
to  furnish  me  with.  After  I  had  done  this,  a  great  many 
people,  Italians,  French,  English,  and  even  one  Spa- 
niard, and  Jews  and  Turks,  crowded  into  the  court- 
yard of  Mr.  Lee,  w  ho  left  at  my  disposal  the  whole  stock 
of  Bibles  and  Testaments.  I  sold  about  fifty  Armenian 
Bibles  and  Testament-,  a  great  quantity  of  Arabic 
Bibles  and  Testaments,  and  almost  the  whole  stock  of 
Italian  Bibles  and  Testaments,  and  several  Hebrew  and 
French  Testaments,  in  less  than  five  hours.  A  great 
m.uiy  I  gave  gratis,  and  for  a  very  low  price,  in  order  that 
lluy  miy  be  easily  circulated.  1  afterwards  observed 
several  of  the  purchasers  reading  the  books  in  the  street. 
Segnor  Grazia  Dio  Fernandez,  a  young  respectable 
Jew,  called  on  me,  and  desired  Italian  and  French  Bibles 
and  Testaments.  1  complied  with  his  wish,  and  gave 
them  to  him  gratis.  After  him,  the  Jew  Marpurgo.jun. 
and  his  friend,  Jew  Isaac  Sonnino,  called  on  me;  they 
desued  Bibles  and  Testaments. 

Isaac  Sonnino  {who  speaks  English,)  1  have  had  the 
pleasure  of  attending  the  sermons  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hatt, 
English  preacher  at  Leghorn.  He  preached  very  well 
indeed,  and  1  am  persuaded  that  the  Protestant  religion 
is  better  than  the  Roman  Catholic. 

/.  You  must  say  the  religion  of  the  Gospel,  which  is 
the  pure  religion,  is  better  than  the  Roman  Catholic  re- 
ligion. 1  read  to  them  several  passages  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament. 

Marpurgo.  Why  did  not  God  give  the  Christian  re- 
ligion immediately,  as  he  is  omniscient^  and  knew  that  it 
^vas  the  best  I 

1.  He  did  give  immediately  after  the  fall  of  Adam  the 
religion  of  Christ,  and  after  this  to  the  people  of  Israel, 
the  bodily  advent  of  Christ  upon  earth,  which  was  only 
the  accomplishment  of  the  religion  of  Christ,  given  in 
types  to  the  Jews  already,  upon  Sinai.  I  read  to  them 
the  prophetical  passages  of  Genesis,  Deuteronomy, 
Jeremiah,  and  Isaiah. 

JSIarpurgo.  My  cousin.  Dr.  Marpurgo,  goes  too  ^ar 
4n  his  system.     Men  must  have  a  religion,  and  1  have 

27 


314 

not  the  least  objection  to  embrace  the  Protestant  reli- 
gion. 

Sonnino.  The  Protestant  religion  rejects  all  those 
abuses  which  are  prevailing  in  the  Romish  church.  I 
am  always  reading  the  New  Testament,  and  hope  that 
many  Jews  will  turn  to  Christianity.  I  read  to  them  the 
reports  of  the  Jews  Society  ;  especially  the  letters  of 
Mr.  Marc  ;  they  seemed  much  pleased  with  them. 

They  promised  to  call  often  on  me;  and  Sonnino  told 
me  that  he  will  come  and  hear  me  preach  at  Mr.  Lee's, 
I  have,  however,  heard  that  they  were  ashamed  to  con- 
fess to  others,  their  willingness  to  embrace  Christianity. 

Oct,  27.- — I  preached  at  Mr.  Lee's  on  the  pardoning 
grace  of  God,  and  took  Micah  vii.  18 — 20,  for  my  text, 

Oct.  28. — 1  again  sold  a  great  quantity  of  Bible*  and 
Testaments  ;  and  several  Italian  Jews  bought  French 
New-Testaments  ;  I  also  sold  several  English  Bibles  to 
English  sailors. 

Oct.  29. — I  again  sold  a  great  many  copies  of  the 
Holy  Writ,  and  many  were  displeased  that  I  was  not 
able  to  give  them  more  Italian  Bibles  and  Testaments, 
Dr.  Marpurgo  himself  bought  an  Italian  Bible. 

I  called  this  evening  on  Dr.  Marpurgo.  VVe  had  a 
long  conversation  about  the  duty  of  a  Christian,  to  be 
ready  to  lay  down  his  life  for  the  truth  of  Christianity; 
for  which  he  has  no  desire.  He  told  me  that  he  has  read 
in  the  reports,  the  remark  made  by  the  late  missionary 
Burkhardt,  about  him  ;  that  he  called  him  an  infidel. 
Dr.  Marpurgo  observed,  that  the  late  Burkhardt  had  de- 
scribed his  character  justly  and  according  to  truth.  Dr. 
Murpurgo  made  me  a  present  of  some  bottles  of  Malaga 
for  my  voyage. 

Oct.  30 — Rabbi  Jacob  Mesicha  called  on  me.  We 
conversed  freely  about  the  truth  of  Christianity^  He 
told  me  that  the  sceptre  is  not  yet  taken  from  Judah, 
for  Esdra  de  Picciotto,  the  Austrian  Consul-General  of 
Aleppo,  who  was  lately  killed  in  the  earthquake,  had 
been  endowed  w  th  royal  pouer. 

Oct.  3L — Rabbi  Jacob  Mesicha  called  again,  and 
told  me^  that  Reuben,  of  the  Beni  Khaibr.  who  resides  in 


315 

Uie  Mecca  and  Hit,  near  Bagdad,   came  to  Alexandria 
to  buy  soap  forty  years  ago. 

jVoy.  1.— 1  called  again  on  Dr.  Marpiirgo.  ^  He  told 
me  that  an  Abyssinian  Jew  came  to  Alexandria  several 
3'ears  ago.  Dr.  Marpurgo's  father-in-law  saw  him.  Dr. 
Marpurgo  maintains  that  there  are  Jews  in  Abyssinia, 
who  only  have  knowledge  of  the  Pentateuch,  the  book 
of  Samuel,  and  the  proverbs  of  Solomon.  "  It  seems." 
(Dr.  Marpurgo  said,)  "  that  they  were  sent  there  on  an 
expedition,  by  king  Solomon,  when  he  sent  to  Ophir 
for  gold  ;  and  they  did  not  return."  Tt  would  be  inter- 
esting to  know  how  far  Bruce's  account  about  the  Jews 
in  Abyssinia  is  true. 

^Yov.  2.— Peter  Lee,  Esq.  British  Consul,  introduced 
me  to  a  very  respectable  Jew^  who  does  not  wish  that 
bis  name  should  be  printed.  He  is  from  Leghorn.  He 
spoke  with  the  highest  regard  of  the  Christian  creed. 
He  gave  me  the  direction  of  Signor  Salomon  Malak 
Rab-a-Kaal,  della  Nazione  Ebrea  di  Livorno,  whom  he 
describes  as  a  most  learned  and  liberal  gentleman.  He 
told  me,  beside  this,  that  I  should  find  a  great  deal  to 
do  among  the  Jews  at  Leghorn. 

JVov.  3. — I  preached  again  at  Mr.  Lee's,  before  his 
whole  family,  Mr.  Gleddon  and  his  family,  and  the 
English  captain  and  other  merchants.  Mr.  Vedava,  a 
Cathoic,  who  is  chancellor  to  Mr.  Lee,  likewise  attends 
my  sermons. 

JVov.  4. — Mr.  Gleddon,  an  English  merchant  of  this 
place,  invited  me  to  supper,  and  conversed  with  me 
about  the  conversion  of  the  Jews.  He  wished  to  confide 
his  son  to  my  care,  in  case  1  should  return  to  Cairo. 

jVov.  5. — A  great  enquiry  has  been  made  after  Italian^ 
French,  and  Greek  Bibles  and  Testaments. 

JYov.  7. — An  old  Jew  called  on  me,  and  applied  all 
his  Talmudical  knowledge  and  wit,  to  get  from  me  no- 
thing but  money.  Jew  Valency,  from  Venice,  called 
on  me,  and  conversed  with  me  several  hours  ;  he  then 

said  to  D'l ,  that  he  was  very  much  edified  by  my 

conversation.     He  is  a  Jew  of  property,  and  is  seventy^' 
three  years  of  age. 


316 

JVov.  8. — Captain  Senner,  the  same  Captain  who  on 
the  ]5th  of  June,  1821,  took  me  from  Gibraltar  to  Malta, 
at  a  very  cheap  price,  on  board  his  brig,  called  the 
Shamrock,  arrived  almost  at  the  same  time  with  myself 
at  Alexandria,  with  the  fine  brig  Friendship.  He  will 
take  me  back  to  Malta.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  Christian 
sentiments,  and  extraordinary  energy  ;  and,  as  he  sin- 
cerely desires  to  be  useful  to  the  Bible  Society,  1  anj 
persuaded  that  it  would  further  the  cause  of  the  Bible 
Society  very  much,  if  they  would  mnke  him  their  ret-u- 
lar  agent,  and  charge  his  ship,  Friendship,  with  a  cargo 
of  Bibles  in  all  languages,  which  he  could  bring  to  Alex- 
andria, Beyrout,  Cairo,  and  Tarsus.  He  is  a  gentle- 
man upon  whose  integrity  the  Bible  Society  may  de- 
pend. Peter  Lee,  Esq.  and  Mr.  Thurburn,  speak  of 
him  with  the  highest  regard.  Bibles  could  by  him,  in 
a  very  easy  manner,  be  conveyed  to  Suez  and  Mecca, 
spots  to  which  Bibles  never  yet  came.  1  should  be  very 
much  obliged  to  you,  to  introduce  Captain  Senner  to 
the  Bible  Society,  and  to  the  London  Society  for  pro- 
moting Christianity  among  the  Jews.  In  this  case,  Mr. 
Senner  could  be  my  regular  correspondent,  should  1 
proceed  on  my  journey  to  Persia  and  Abyssinia.  And 
as  Captain  Senner  is  to  return  immediately  from  Alex- 
andria, I  should  be  very  much  obliged  to  you  if  you 
would  give  him  the  preference  to  any  other,  in  commis- 
sions. Captain  Senner  resides  at  Liverpool,  and  as  his 
pious  lady  is  going  out  with  him  the  next  time,  you  will 
Idp  so  kind  as  to  furnish  her  with  a  quantity  of  tracts  and 
Bibles,  to  distribute  among  the  ladies  of  the  Levant. 
I  addressed  myself  to  him  by  letter,  desiring  him  to  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  the  Bible  Society  :  I  send  you  his 
written  answer.  And  as  it  is  very  likely  that  I  may 
succeed,  with  the  assistance  of  the  American  mission- 
aries, in  establishing  a  regular  Missionary  Institution 
at  Jerusalem,  Mr.  Senner  may  bring  the  necessary 
Bibles  to  Jafia,  from  which  place  they  may  easily  be 
sent  to  Jerusalem.  J  shall  write  an  account  of  him,  to 
Messrs.  Fisk  and  Temple,  that  they  may  recommend 
him  to  the  American  Society.  The  cause  of  God  will, 
under  God's  grace,  be  promoted  in  this  manner. 


317 

[Here  follows  a  list  of  Bibles,  Testaments  and  tracts, 
in  various  languages,  which  Mr.  Wolf  requests  may  be 
sent  to  him  by  Mr.  Senner,  on  his  return.] 

It  might  be  very  useful  if  the  Bible  Society  would 
procure  Arabic,  Greek,  Turkish,  and  Italian  transla- 
tions of  their  reports  ;  a  great  many  people  desire  this. 
Peter  Lee,  Esq.  told  me  it  might  be  well,  if  the  Bible 
Society  would  print  portions  of  the  Psalters,  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  which  one  may  carry  about  inhis 
pocket;  and  then  selections  of  fine  passages,  as  we  have 
of  Milton  and  Shakespeare. 

J\^ov,  9. — The  Lord  blessed  the  words  of  consolation 
which  1  spake  and  read  out  of  the  Bible  to  Mr.  Gleddon 
and  his  lady,  who  have  lost  a  hopeful  son.  I  read  the 
Scriptures  with  them,  and  prayed  till  eleven  o'clock  at 
night. 

JVov,  10. — I  preached  for  the  last  time  at  Mr.  Lee's. 
I  took  for  my  text,  "  Now  is  the  accepted  time,  now  is 
the  day  of  salvation." 

I  read  the  burial  service  of  the  church  of  England, 
when  Mr.  Gleddon's  child  was  buried. 

I  embarked  in  the  evening,  together  with  my  boys 
from  Cyprus,  on  the  wide  seas,  on  board  the  Friendship, 
commanded  by  my  friend  Mr.  Senner.  He  takes  a  fa» 
therly  care  of  the  two  Greek  boys:  and  he  gave  me 
\itYy  sensible  and  affectionate  advice,  how  I  ought  to 
treat  them,  in  order  that  they  may  come  well-educated 
to  England. 

JVoy.  12 — Mr.  Thurburn,  of  thehouse  of  Briggs  and 
Co.  a  true  gentleman  by  birth  and  education,  came  on 
board  and  took  breakfast  with  us.  He  desired  me  to 
recommend  Mr.  Senner  to  you,  for  the  purpose  I  have 
already  mentioned.  We  conversed  together  about  the 
truth  of  Christianity  ;  and  he  told  me  1  might  make 
mention  of  his  name  to  you,  and  the  Bible  Society,  as 
one  who  wishes  to  be  useful  to  the  Bible  Society.  He 
ardentlj'  desires  that  a  clergyman  of  that  Society,  should 
be  sent  to  Alexandria  ;  and  likewise  that  a  Lancasterian 
school  might  be  established  there  by  your  aid. 

A   Piedmont ese  gendeman  arrived  in  Alexandria, 
21^ 


318 

eight  months  ago,  his  name  is  Signer  Urelli ;  he  estab- 
lished a  school  for  European  children,  and  has  already 
forty  pupils,  among  whom  are  French,  English,  Italian, 
and  some  Jewish  boys.  I  promised  to  send  him  as  ma- 
ny books  as  he  wishes,  in  Italian  and  French,  for  his 
school.  It  might  be  well  if  you  could  send  him  books 
about  the  Lancasterian  system. 

I  must  not  forget  to  mention  to  you  the  following 
circumstance  ;  When  I  was  at  Jerusalem,  the  dragoman 
of  the  Armenian  convent,  introduced  me  to  an  Abyssini- 
an priest,  who  is  in  the  possession  of  two  Amharic  man- 
uscripts, the  one  contains  the  whole  JNew  Testament, 
the  other  all  the  Psalms  of  David,  with  hymns  to  the 
Virgin  Mary,  the  Song  of  Habakkuk,  he.  He  was 
ready,  at  the  recommendation  of  the  Armenian  drago- 
man, to  sell  both  manuscripts  for  sixteen  Spanish  dol- 
lars, but  as  my  money  was  not  arrived  from  Beyront,  I 
was  not  able  to  c^ive  him  the  money.  I  intended  to 
send  it  from  Jaffa,  to  which  place  I  was  proceeding  on 
the  next  day,  but  the  unsafely  of  the  road  from  Jaffa  to 
Jerusalem  increased  to  such  a  degree,  that  none  dared 
to  go  there.  jMention  this  circumstance  to  the  Bible 
Society,  for  I  know  that  they  are  in  want  of  an  Amha- 
ric New  Testament. 

Rabbi  Mose  Mesicha,  of  Alexandria,  told  me  that  fif- 
ty years  ago  a  letter  arrived  at  Leghorn,  from  the  tribes 
of  Reuben,  Gad,  and  Manasseh,  desiring  to  know  the 
situation  of  the  land  of  Heshbon.  The  letter  arrived  at 
Leghorn,  whence  it  was  sent  to  Rabbi  Abram  Divan, 
tlie  president  of  the  Jews  of  Jerusalem,  who  was  just  at 
that  time  in  Alexandria. 

The  Jews  translate  q^j^'  'Sn'lT^:^  n-Dn:;  (Psalm  1.10, 
which  is  translated  in  the  English  Bible,  "  the  cattle  up- 
on a  thousand  hills,")  "  the  Behemoth  upon  a  thousand 
mountains,"  which  the  Talmud  says,  is  a  beast  that 
eats  every  day  the  grass  of  a  thousand  mountains,  and 
which  animal  they  shall  eat  on  the  arrival  of  the  Mes- 
siah. 

You  will  surely  approve  my  going  to  Malta,  when 
you  consider  that  the  Americau  missionaries,  Fisk  and 


319 

Temple,  are  now  there,  with  whom  I  intend  to  return 
back  to  Salonichi,  Constantinople,  Alexandria,  and  Je- 
rusalem. Yours,  he, 

Joseph  Wolf. 

You  will  receive  by  the  hands  of  Mr.  Senner,  the  fol- 
lowing books  and  Arabic  manuscripts  ; — 

1.  Discourses  of  Johannes  Damascenus. 

2.  Arabic  Koran. 

3.  Hebrew  manuscript,  containing  the  principles  of  a 
Jewish  sectarian,  which  is  \ery  scarce  indeed.  He  was 
called  Israel  Baal  Shem. 

4.  The  History  of  the  Samaritans,  written  by  a  Sa- 
maritan. 

5.  Polish-Jewish  Liturgy. 

6.  Greek  Psalter,  manuscript. 

7.  Two  volumes  of  Caraite  Liturgy, 

8.  Galistan  Persian  manuscript. 

9.  Persian  manuscript. 

10.  Arabic  Pentateuch  in  manuscript. 

1 1.  Book  Kosri. 

12.  Greek  Psalter. 

13.  Sepher  Jesharim. 

14.  Greek  Psalter. 

15.  For  the  Rev.  Mr.  Owen. 

16.  Hebrew  tracts,  a  hundred  years  old. 

It  would  be  very  advisable  if  the  missionary  students 
at  Stansted  Park,  would  read  the  Hebrew  manuscript 
(No.  3.)  containing  the  principles  of  Israel  Baal  Shem, 
the  Jewish  sectarian.  There  is,  in  that  sectarian's  prin- 
ciples, much  tendency  to  Christianity.  Rabbi  Mendel 
was  struck  with  amazement,  when  he  found  me  arquamt- 
ed  with  the  principles  oi  Israel  Baal  Sliem,  for  this  sect 
is  most  numerous  in  Poland  ;  and  I  am  sure  that  those 
Jews  in  Poland,  who  receive  so  readilv  the  New  Tes- 
tament, are  oftiiat  sect  called  the  Hasidim.  The  chief 
principle  of  that  sect  is,  that  the  Mahshaba,  the  intui- 
tion, thought,  and  spirit  of  the  law  of  Moses,  is  of  value, 
noi  the  outuard  observance  of  it  m\d  they  anpl\,  to 
maintain  their  principle,  Jeremiah   xxxi.  31 — 33,  and 


320 

believe  that  by  this  verse  it  is  indicated,  that  the  cere^ 
monial  law  will  be  abolished  in  the  time  of  the  Messiah, 
and  that  we  shall  then  understand  the  taam,  the  taste  of 
that  law,  Joseph  Wolf. 

JVov.  28. — Arrived  again  in  IMalta,  after  a  happy  pas- 
sage of  sixteen  daj^s.  Dr.  Naudi  came  immediately, 
told  me  that  he  had  received  letters  from  dear  Mr. 
Drummond  and  Mr.  Bayford,  and  he  promised  me  to 
take  care  that  I  may  soon  get  out  of  quarantine,  in 
order  that  a  Jewish  association  may  be  established  in 
Malta. 

JVov.  29. — As  Messrs.  Fisk  and  King  are  going  back 
to  mount  Sinai  and  Jerusalem,  1  hesitated  not  to  deter- 
mine myself  to  go  back  with  them.  God  be  praised 
that  thou  hast  finally  heard  my  prayers,  and  hast  given 
me  two  fellow-labourers,  two  Gentile  fellow-labourers, 
with  whom  I  go  back  to  Jerusalem,  to  speak  once 
more  on  the  Saviour's  mercy,  on  the  Saviour's  love 
towards  poor  Israel  !  Oh,  Lord  I  have  not  deser- 
ved it,  surely  not ;  that  thou  art  pouring  abroad  in  my 
heart  they  love,  thy  bleeding  love,  and  dost  load  me 
with  thy  mercy.  I  hope,  still  1  hope  to  see  the  day,  the 
glorious  day,  when  Israel  finally  will  worship,  serve, 
and  adore  thee  all  the  days  of  their  life.  Surely  it  is 
not  ascertained  by  facts,  nor  does  it  agree  with  the  his- 
tory of  thy  redeeming  love,  that  Israel  shall  never  be 
saved.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  people  is  a  singular  peo- 
ple. No  people  has  received  so  many  demonstrations 
of  the  kindnessof  God  asthat  people — and  notwithstand- 
ing all,  we  meet  scarcely  among  us  in  any  other  nation 
so  many  instances  of  backsliding  committed,  as  by  that 
people.  But  it  is,  on  the  other  hand,  likewise  true,  that 
they  often  turned  to  God,  when  even  the  saints,  the 
elect  of  God,  despaired,  entirely  despaired  of  their  reco- 
very !  "Ye  cannot  serve  the  Lord,"  are  the  words  of 
Josl]ua,  the  servant  of  Moses,  upon  whom  Moses  had 
laid  his  hands  ;  but  Israel  served  the  Lord  all  the  days 
of  Joshua.  *'  I  remained  alone,"  did  Elijah  exclaim  : 
but  7000  of  Israel  were  on  the  Lord's  side,  who  had  not 


321 

bowed  iheir  knees  before  Baal !  And  from  the  time  of 
their  captivity  in  Babylon,  they  have  no  l-jnger  fallen 
into  idolatry,  inorder  that  the  reason  of  their  present  cap- 
tivity, eighteen  hundred  years  since,  may  the  clearer  ap- 
pear; that  reason  is,  that  they  have  cruciiierl  the  Lord  of 
glory!  But  now  is  again  a  very  remarkable  time ;  many 
now  go  out,  to  see  whether  Israel  may  be  s>ved — shall 
llieir  endeavours,  O  Lord,  be  in  vain  ?  Shall  they  be 
obliged  to  turn  to  the  Gentiles  ?  Oh,  I  trust  not,  O  Lord  ! 
but  rather  that  Israel  will  humbly  and  penitently  come 
nnto  thee.  But  thou,  O  Lord,  thou  knowest  my  weak- 
ness, with  which  1  go  upon  the  work  to  labour  in  thy 
vineyard — wilt  thou  not  finally  have  mercy  upon  my 
own  soul,  and  bring  her  savingly  converted  unto  thee  ! 
Oil,  Lord,  how  often  do  we  pretend  to  meditate  on  the 
weakness  of  our  soul,  whilst  it  is  the  experience  of 
another  saint,  whose  sighs  we  have  read  and  heard,  and 
try  to  imitate,  without  their  proceeding  from  the  depth 
of  our  own  soul. 

t,¥oy.  30. — Dear  Fisk  brought  other  clothes  for  my- 
self and  my  two  boys  that  1  may  the  sooner  get  pra- 
tique: 1  wrote  a  letter  to  Jew  Pariente  on  the  truth  of 
Christ. 

Dec.  I. — T  read  the  5th  chapter  of  St.  IMatthew,  and 
prayed  in  Italian  with  tlie  servant  who  guards  me  du- 
ring the  quarantine.  I  read  for  myself  Psalm  xix.  the 
following  verses  spake  to  my  heart,  "  Keep  back  thy 
servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins  ;  let  them  not  have 
dominion  over  me  :  then  shall  1  be  upright,  and  I  shall 
be  innocent  from  the  great  transgression." 

"  Let  the  w^rds  of  my  mouth,  and  the  meditation  of  my 
heart,  be  acceptable  in  thy  sight,  O  Lord,  my  strength  and 
my  Redeemer.'''* 

Mr.  Fisk  has  invited  me  to  preach,  after  my  quaran- 
tine is  over,  in  liis  church  in  t'le  Italian  lang^iaii^e.  I  in- 
tend to  cite  the  text  in  (he  Latin  tongue,  according  to 
the  translation  of  the  Vulgate,  and  translate  in  It  ban, 
according  to  tiie  translation  of  Archbishop  Martini. 

Prayer. —  Lord,  I  feel,  and  am  fully  convinced  in  my 
mind,  that  1  am  not  yet  quite  closely  to  thee  as  I  ought 


322 

to  be.  If  it  is  thy  will,  send  me  back  to  Jerusalem  with 
those  two  good  Gentile  preachers,  such  zealous  preach- 
ers of  thy  Gospel.  Ought  I  not  (o  be  ashamed  for  my- 
self, to  observe  so  much  love  in  two  Gentiles  towards 
my  brethren,  when  I  am  often  so  lukewarm  !  O  Lord, 
send  me  out  with  them,  and  keep  us  all  three  under  thy 
holy  protection,  and  give  us  thy  Holy  Spirit,  and  an 
abundance^-the  river  of  that  love  which  thou  hast  dis- 
played towards  sinners  on  the  cross  !  There  thou  didst 
plead  the  sinner's  cause — let  us  likewise  plead  the  sin- 
ner's cause  ;  and  let  us  not  only  preach  the  Gospel  to 
Jews,  but  likewise  to  the  children,  the  descendants  of 
Ishmael.  Lord,  let  us  shew  by  our  life  and  example, 
that  we  are  thy  children,  sent  forth  to  seek  the  lost 
sheep  wherever  thou  dost  send  us. 

Lord,  I  remember  when  I  went  to  Saida,  I  met  a 
Turk  on  the  road,  who  kneeled  down,  his  face  turned 
towards — alas!  towards  Mecca;  he  stopped  with  his 
horse,  descended,  and  prayed  near  the  shore  of  tlie  sea. 
and  exclaimed,  "In  the  name  of  a  merciful  and  pitiful 
God  !"  It  was  an  imposing  sight  indeed.  O  Lord,  that 
Ishmael  may  begin  "  to  live  before  thee  !"  The  descend- 
ants of  Ishmael  are  so  far  right,  that  the  Jews  devised 
a  stratagem  against  thee,  and  that  they  have  not  be- 
lieved in  thee,  and  that  they  are  speaking  a  grevious 
calumny  against  Mar}  ;  but  it  is,  on  the  other  hand,  a 
grievious  calumny  of  the  descendants  of  Ishmael,  to  de- 
ny that  the  Jews  slew  thee,  but  slew  one  in  tliy  likeness. 
Verily,  they  have  slain  thee,  O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
thy  blood  will  finally  expiate  their  sins.  But  speak 
likewise  to  the  souh  of  Mahomedans — of  the  descendants 
of  Ishmael,  "Let  there  be  light,"  in  order  that  they 
may  no  longer  turn  their  face  towards  Mecca,  but  to- 
wards thy  heavenly  Jerusalem — towards  Calvary — to- 
wards the  cross,  the  banner  of  Salvation.  And  again, 
O  Lord,  I  beseech  thee,  let  thy  cause  not  be  disgraced, 
let  thy  cause  not  be  blasphemed,  by  any  backsliding 
from  the  side  of  they  servant.  O  Lord,  J  am  not  sent 
out  by  that  Society  at  London,  which  thou  liast  formed 
for  the  conversion  of  mv  brethren,  but  I   am   sure   that. 


323 

Society  does  not  less  take  interest  in  my  mission,  tiiaii 
if  1  were  sent  out  by  them  ;  and  I  am  sure  that  their 
prayers  are  following  me  wherever  I  go.  O  Lord,  as- 
sist me  ;  be  my  guide,  that  1  may  no  longer  be  so  weak 
as  I  have  been  hitherto ;  but  let  me  be  mighty  in  thy 
strength  O,  if  1  should  fall,  it  would  be  a  shame  be- 
fore God — a  shame  before  men  !  What  shall  I  say  more, 

my  heart  is  so  full My   soul  is  alarmed  by  the 

words  of  St.  John's  Revelation,  (ii.  2.,)  last  words, 
"  And  thou  hast  tried  them  which  say  tiiey  are  apostles, 
and  are  not,  and  hast  found  them  liars;"  Lord,  is  this 
the  case  with  me  .^  How  awful  would  it  be  if  this  were 
the  case  with  me  !  But  in  thy  mercy  I  trust,  that  thou 
wilt  perfect  the  work  thou  hast  begun  in  me;  let  me  not 
leave  my  first  love  to  the  proclaiming  of  thy  holy  name, 
Dec.  2. — I  read  the  Missionary  Herald  of  the  Ameri- 
can missions  ;  I  was  not  able  to  go  on  in  the  perusal  of 
it,  a  sweat  of  anguish  overpowered  me  at  the  thought 
that  1  have  surely  preached  so  weakly  thy  Gospel,  O 
Lord !  When  will  the  time  approach,  O  Lord,  that  my 
heart  shall  wholly  and  entirely  belong  unto  thee,  and 
only  unto  thee — when  shall  that  time  approach,  that  I 
shall  he  entirely  destitute  of  all  earthly  thoughts — 
when  shall  that  time,  that  blessed  time  approach,  that 
my  heart,  my  mind,  and  my  senses,  shall  be  entirely 
absorbed  by  the  one  thing  needful — when  shall  that 
time  approach  that  I  shall  be  no  longer  troubled  when 
one  tries  to  distress  my  mind  !  O  that  thou  mayest  bow 
the  heavens,  and  come  down,  and  touch  my  heart ! 
Jesus,  my  Saviour !  Jesus,  my  Saviour !  Jesus  my  Sa- 
viour !  Thou  knowest  my  heart !  thou  knowest  the  de- 
scription of  my  mind — of  my  soul.  Thou  dost,  there- 
fore, not  want  to  be  informed  about  me  by  human  tes- 
timonies. Thou  knowest  what  is  in  me — there  is  such 
a  barrenness  in  me,  O  Lord — there  is  such  a  barren- 
ness in  me,  O  Lord — there  is  such  a  barrenness  in  me, 
O  Lord — and  notwithstanding  all  thai  barrenness,  there 
is  so  much  of  self-conceit  and  pride,  that  i  have  reason 
to  abhor  myself.  For  this  I  could  weep  all  the  day 
through,  and  ail  the  night  through,  and  for  the  faults  f 


324 

have  committed  from  my  youth,  and  for  those  that  T 
now  commit  daily;  but  thou,  O  antitypical  Joseph; 
thou,  Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord  and  my  God  !  thou  art  the 
same  I^ord  who  wast  with  Nuah  and  his  whole  house, 
when  all  the  fountains  of  the  great  deep  brake  up  ;  and 
thou  didst  bear  up  the  ark,  and  thou  didst  preserve 
Nuah  and  all  his  house.  And  thou,  Jesus  Christ,  art 
the  same  who  heardest  the  voice  of  Hagar  and  her  lad 
in  the  wilderness  ;  and  thou  didst  open  her  eyes,  and  she 
saw  a  vvei!  of  water.  ()  Lord,  thou  seest  now  th}^  ser- 
vant's soul  here  in  the  wilderness,  and  thirsty ;  open  my 
eyes,  that  I  may  see  clearer  and  clearer  that  well, 
springing  up  to  everlasting  life! 

Lord  Jesus  Christ  !  I  have  seen  the  awful  instance, 
when  one  of  thy  servants  fell;  there  \^  as  a  mourning  in 
thv  whole  church — all  thy  members  mourned — it  was 
like  an  electrical  stroke  which  penetrates  even  those  in 
distant  countries,  distant  from  that  country  where  that 
brolhrr  fell — perhaps,  they  had  just  been  praying  for 
that  brother,  when  the  sad  news  arrived — that  brother 
is  fallen — no  indignation  takes  hold  of  their  heart,  no 
anger,  but  a  deep  sorrow — a  grief. 

Lord  God,  Jesus  Christ !  I  am  now  writing  these 
lines  on  my  knees,  while  all  are  sleeping  around  me  ! 
forgive,  O  Lord,  for  tliy  blood's  sake,  my  past  iniqui- 
ties— cast  them  into  the  depths  of  the  sea — and  enable 
me  to  celebrate  on  the  shore,  thy  glory,  power,  and 
honour !  Amen. 

Dec.  3. — Messrs.  Fisk.  and  King,  Temple,  and  Dr. 
Naudi,  called  on  me.  I  spoke  to  them  of  the  disposi- 
tion of  many  Jews  at  Jerusalem  to  hear  the  tidings  of 
salvation.  1  feel  myself  so  strictly  united  with  those 
dear,  dear  brethren  in  the  Lord,  tnat  1  am  not  able  to 
express  it  !  After  them,  Mr.  Seiber,  the  Austrian  con- 
sul of  Malta,  called  on  me. 

O  Lord  !  when  1  consider  the  state  of  thy  people,  the 
disposition  of  their  mind,  1  cannot  but  worship  and 
adore  thy  mercy,  and  goodness,  and  loving  kindness;  how 
often  did  they  promise  to  Moses!  But  liiere  was  a  time 
when  they  served  thee  faithfully ;  they  served  the  Lord  all 


325 

the  days  of  Joshua,although  thy  servant  Joshua  himself 
maintained  that  they  could  not  serve  the  Lord.  And  in 
the  same  manner  it  is  now  the  case  with  thy  people. 
Many  of  them  profess  the  faith  in  their  Saviour,  but  we 
see,  alas  !  many  backslidings  ;  and  for  this  reason  even 
Gentiles  of  piety  think,  like  thy  servant  Joshua,  that 
"  they  cannot  serve  the  Lord."  But  I  trust  and  hope, 
by  thy  infinite  grace,  that  the  time  will  approach  when 
thy  people  shall  finally  be  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  whole  world  shall  serve  thee. 

Dec.  4. — Lord,  1  have  already  sinned  in  abundance, 
when  will  the  time  of  redemption  come!  when  will  my 
heart  be  sanctified  by  thy  grace?  I  am  exceedingly 
cast  down,  and  I  scarcely  dare  look  upwards,  it  seems 
to  me  as  if  my  Saviour  had  disappeared,  "  a  little  while 
and  ye  shall  not  see  me,  and  again  a  little  while,  and 
ye  shall  see  me." — Let  me  see  thee,  O  Lord  !  Amen. 

Dec.  5. — The  Rev.  Mr.  Jowett  called  on  me,  and  in 
the  Lazaretto  conversed  with  me  on  the  subject  of  mis- 
sionaries, and  the  state  of  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  and  Pa- 
lestine. I  desired  him  to  draw  the  attention  of  the 
English  inhabitants  of  Malta  to  the  establishment  of  an 
Auxiliary  Society  to  the  Society  for  promoting  Chris- 
tianity among  the  Jews. 

Dec.  6.7— Lord,  if  it  is  thy  holy  will  to  make  me  an 
instrument  in  thy  hand,  to  proclaim  peace,  to  proclaim 
glory  to  thee,  O  Most  High,  and  good  will  tov\ard  men, 
then  give  me  thy  grace,  O  Lord,  that  I  myself  may  feel 
that  peace,  and  the  glorv  of  thy  Gospel  in  my  own  soul, 
and  give  me  that  good  will  towards  men  towards  every^ 
man,  towards  men,  even  towards  men,  who  have  no 
good  will  towards  me — for  I  must  know  that  as  thou 
didst  not  come  to  the  righteous  but  to  call  sinners  to 
repentance,  thus  I  must  do,  thus  1  must  do,  thus  I  must 
act — give  me  thy  grace,  O  Lord,  that  I  may  be  enabled 
to  sit  down  at  table  with  publicans  and  sinners,  to  bring 
them  to  the  saving  doctrine  of  thy  Gospel — and  if  it  is 
thy  will,  O  Lord,  hear  me,  1  beseech  thee,  let  me  not 
give  any  offence  to  any  one— Hallelujah !  Praised  be 
thy  name  !  Hallelujah  ! 

28 


326 

**  Paul,  called  to  be  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Clirisf, 
through  the  will  of  God  !"  O  Lord,  I  pretend  to  be  a 
Missionary  of  thy  word — am  1  this  through  the  will 
of  God  ?  if  I  am  through  thy  will,  then,  O  Lord,  purge 
me  with  hyssop,  that  1  may  be  clean,  purge  me  with 
thy  precious  blood,  that  I  may  go  back  unto  the  church 
of  God  which  is  at  Jerusalem,  unto  thy  church  in  the 
wilderness,  that  I  may  preach  by  my  words,  life,  and 
conversation,  to  the  saints  to  be  sanctified  in  Christ 
Jesus !  Confirm,  in  myself,  O  Father,  by  thy  Holy 
Spirit,  the  testimony  of  thy  Son  Jesus  Christ !  so  that 
1  may  come  behind  in  no  gift,  waiting  for  the  coming 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ!  that  I  may  be  blameless  in 
the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  that  I  may  be  called 
unto  the  fellowship  of  thy  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ! 
that  I  may  be  perfectly  joined  together  with  thy  saints 
in  the  same  mind,  and  in  the  same  judgment — let  me 
not  be  in  contention  with  any  !  for  thou,  O  Lord  Christ, 
art  not  divided !  O  rend  the  heavens  and  come  down, 
with  thy  fire  divine,  and  direct  and  incline  me,  accor- 
ding to  thy  will,  that  the  cross  of  Christ  may  not  be 
made  of  none  efiect,  by  my  deficiency  !  Let  thy  cross, 
O  Lord,  be  first  of  all  made  tome,  by  experience  in 
my  own  soul — the  power  of  God  !  Let  me  not  be  a 
disputer  of  this  world  1  Save  me,  O  Lord,  by  the  fool- 
ishness of  thy  preaching  !  I  have  heard  that  thousands 
of  prayers  are  offered  for  me  in  England  ;  let  those 
prayers,  O  Lord,  not  be  disappointed  !  Let  the  time  of 
my  quarantine  at  Malta  be  the  time  of  bringing  me 
savingly  to  the  experimental   knowledge  of  thy  cross! 

0  Lord,  1  am  empty  and  void !  speak  to  my  soul  ; 
"  Let  there  be  light;"  and  thou,  Christ  Jesus,  be  unto 
me,  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and 
redemption  ;  and  let  me  glory  in  the  Lord  ! 

]jfc.  7. — Jehovah-Jireh  !  withhold  not  thine  only  Son 
from  me  1  and  withhold  not  thy  only  Son  from  thy  peo- 
ple ;  let  thy  holy  Gospel  be  seen  in  the  mount  of  the 
Lord  ! 

Jehovah-Jireh  !  give  to  me   thy  powerful  grace,  that 

1  likewise  may  withhold  nothing  from  thee  ! 


327 

Jehovali-Jireh  t  behold  the  fire  of  my  passion,  tne 
fire  of  the  corruption  of  my  heart — behold  my  luUe* 
warmness  in  thy  service — where  is  the  Lamb — where  is 
thy  only  begotten  Son  ? — Jehovah- Jireh  ! 

"Jehovah-Jireh  !  speak  to  my  soul,  "  Here  am  I,  my 
son  !" 

Jehovah-Jireh  !  with  my  soul  have  I  desired  thee  in 
the  night !  yea,  with  my  spirit  will  I  seek  thee  early  ; 
let  favour  be  showed  to  me,  by  hastening  to  convert  my 
soul  truly  unto  thee  !   Jehovah-Jireh  ! 

Jehovah-Jireh  !  let  that  day  soon  be  seen  !  that  that 
song  may  be  sung  in  the  land  of  Judah:  We  have  a 
strong  city  ;  Salvation  will  God  appoint  for  walls 
and  bulwarks ;  and  ordain  peace  for  thy  people,  and 
work  all  their  works  in  them  !  Jehovah-Jireh  ! 

I  received  to-day  a  letter  from  Mr.  Bayford,  which 
brought  the  sonowful  account  of  the  death  of  the  Rev. 
John  Owen.  Again  a  servant  of  the  Lord  gone  to  his 
rest. 

My  two  Greek  boys  learn  now  by  heart  portions  of 
the  Greek  Gospel.  It  gives  me  unspeakable  joy  that 
the  Lord  has  made  me  the    father  of  two  Gentile  boys. 

Dec.  8, — When  I  consider  thy  heavens,  the  work  of 
thy  fingers,  the  moon  and  the  stars,  which  thou  hast 
ordained,  then  I  cannot  for  one  moment  doubt  that  thou 
art  mighty  enough  to  be  the  helper  of  the  fatherless,  that 
thou  are  mighty  enough  to  prepare  my  heart,  and  tlie 
heart  of  thy  people  residing  at  Jerusalem,  for  receiving 
thy  holy  Gospel  !  Q  Lord,  be  my  counsellor,  for  how 
long  shall  I  take  counsel  in  my  soul  ?  having  sorrow  in 
my  heart  daily.  Consider  and  hear  me,  O  Lord,  my 
God  ;  lighten  mine  eyes,  lest  I  sleep  the  sleep  of  death  ! 
Lord,  thy  people  are  gone  aside,  thy  people  are  all  gone 
aside,  we  are  all  gone  aside;  they  do  not  call  upon  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ — O  Lord,  I  am  now  bidden  to  the 
wedding — draw  me^  that  I  may  come  unto  the  marriage 
of  the  Lamb — let  me  not  make  light  of  it,  and  let  me 
not  go  my  own  way — let  me  not  go  to  my  merchandise 
— and,  O  Lord,  make  me  one  of  those  servants  who  go 
into  the  highways,  that  I  may  gather  together  the  lost 


328 

sheep  of  Israel,  hoih  bad  and  good,  to  the  wedding  of 
the  Lamb  !  O  Lord,  Jet  thy  people  cease  to  fill  up  the 
measure  oftheir  fathers,  in  order  that  they  may  escape 
the  damnation  of  hell  ! 

And  gather  these  poor  Israelites  under  thy  wings  ! 
Blessed  be  Thou  that  comest  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
Lord,  I  hear  nothing  around  me,  since  my  arrival  in  this 
island,  but  sighs  and  prayers  for  Israel's  salvation — and 
my  heart  so  cold  and  indifferent  ! 

Dec.  9. — "  Watch  ye,  therefore,  for  ye  know  not  what 
hour  your  Lord  will  come  !"  This,  O  Saviour,  thou 
dost  say  to  every  one,  but  especially  to  those,  who  go 
about  to  proclaim  thy  name  in  the  congregations  of  Is- 
rael, and  how  often  do  1  begin  to  sleep — how  often  did  I 
go  about  without  preparinji  the  lamps  !  O  Lord,  O 
Saviour,  out  of  the  depth  I  call  unto  thee,  appoint  not 
my  portion  with  the  hypocrites — neither  appoint  my 
portion  with  those,  who  by  their  irregular  conduct  give 
just  reasons  to  others  to  believe  they  are  hypocrites  r 

I  wrote  to  several  persons  here  about  establishing  an 
auxiliary  Society  for  the  Jews'  Society  at  London. 

Dec.  16. — 1  got  pratique,  and  took  my  abode  in  the 
house  of  Dr.  Naudi.  1  called  on  the  Rev.  W.  Jowett, 
and  was  very  kindly  received  by  him  and  Mrs.  Jowett. 

I  heard  in  the  evening  a  sermon  of  Mr.  King,  the 
Missionary  sent   by  the  Paris  Missionary  Society — he 

had  for  me  a  letter  of  introduction  from Wilder, 

Esq. 

Wednesday^  Dec.  19. — I  preached  a  sermon  in  the 
chapel  of  Mr.  Temple,  in  which  I  gave  a  short  account 
of  my  proceedings  in  the  Levant,  and  of  the  earthquake. 

Thursday,  Dec.  20. — The  Rev.  W.  Jowett  invited  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  Temple,  Fisk,  King,  Deinenger  and  my- 
self to  discuss  several  questions  with  regard  to  the  Jews. 
I  had  to  propose  many  objections,  which  I  want  to  be 
answered  by  the  Christian  brethren,  that  I  may  be 
better  prepared  for  my  Jews  in  the  Levant.  After  this 
we  dined  together.  I  went  to  day  on  board  of  His  Ma- 
jesty's ship  of  war  Martin,  and  sold  seven  English  Bibles, 
and  seven  English  New  Testaments.  Wolf. 


329 

Letter  from  Mr,  Wolf  to  the  Committee  of  the  London 
Society, 
Gentlrnen, 

You  will  excuse  me  that  I  did  not  long  ago  perform 
my  duty  by  expressing  to  you  the  gratitude  I  still,  and 
hope  ever  to  feel,  towards  every  one  of  you,  for  the  kind 
protection  you  afforded  to  me  when  at  (  ambridge,  and 
for  the  orders  you  sent  to  Aleppo,  to  furnish  me  with 
Hebrew  New  Testaments.  You  may  be  assured  that  I 
cannot  without  tears  remember  the  kind  affection  you 
exhibited  towards  me. — Gentlemen  you  have  to  under- 
go many  trials  in  your  labours  for  the  benefit  of  my 
brethren — for  their  eternal  welfare — but  notwithstand- 
ing all  this— it  is  the  Lord's  command  to  speak  comfort- 
ably unto  the  children  of  Sion  :  and  I  trust  and  hope  by 
the  Lord's  infinite  mercy  that  Israel  will  finally  be  con- 
strained to  know  him — and  will  hear  tiie  voices  of  their 
prophets  which  are  read  every  Sabbath-day,  and  that 
they  will  begin  to  fulfil  them  in  believing  in  him — who 
is  God  above  all,  blessed  for  ever. 

I  know  that  you  have  received  the  accounts  I  sent  to 
my  kind  patrons,  Henry  Drummond,  Esq.  and  John 
Bayford,  Esq  You  will  have  perceived  by  them,  that 
even  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  were  ready  to  listen  to  what 
I  bad  to  say,  and  they  told  me  what  their  expectations 
and  hopes  are  :  and  as  1  am  now  returning  to  Egypt 
and  Jerusalem,  in  the  company  of  the  dear  brethren 
from  America,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Fiskand  King,  we  shall 
see  more  exactly  the  result  which  the  reading  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  my  conversing  with  these  poor  sheep  of  Israel, 
has  produced,  by  God's  grace. 

On  my  arrival  at  Malta,  I  perceived  by  the  letter  of 
Henry  Drummond,  Esq.  directed  to  Dr.  JNaudi,  that 
the  Committee  of  the  London  Society  for  promoting 
Christianity  among  the  Jews  wishes  that  the  Auxiliary 
Society  at  Malta  might  be  established.  On  account  of 
my  short  stay  here,  I  was  not  able  to  form  such  a  Socie- 
ty, but  1  desired  my  American  friends  to  make  a  col- 
lection in  their  Chapel,  and  Mr.  King  preached  a  ser- 
mon, and  after  this  a  collection  was  made  of  fourteen 


330 

dollars  ;  and  I  received  the  Sny  before,  from  Mr.  Kerby, 
who  is  an  annual  subscriber,  two  dollars  and  a  half,  and 
D.  Grant,  Esq.  gave  to  me  two  dollars  as  a  donation, 
which  I  gave  to  Mr.  Jowett ;  and  1  wrote  a  subscription 
paper  which  immediately  was  signed  by  the  Rev.  Mr, 
Temple  from  America,  who  is  a  stationary  Missionary 
at  Malta,  and  by  Mr.  Kerby.  The  latter  is  so  kind  as 
to  procure  the  other  subscribers.  Both  Mr.  Kerby  and 
Mr.  Everard  are  annual  subscribers  to  the  Society,  and 
they  desire  with  great  eagerness  to  read  the  publications 
of  the  London  Society  for  promoting  Christianity 
amongst  the  Jews.  Would  you,  Gentlemen,  be  so  kind 
to  send  those  publications  to  our  common  friend.  Dr. 
Cleardo  Naudi  ?  You  will  allow  me  to  observe,  that 
Dr.  Cleardo  Naudi  would  be  a  very  valuable  correspond- 
ent to  the  London  Society  for  promoting  Christianity 
amongst  my  bretheren.  He  is  a  truly  pious  gentleman, 
and  zealous  for  the  Divine  glory,  and  highly  respect- 
able. He  could  draw  the  attention  of  Maltese  Catho- 
lics to  the  glorious  cause  jou  have  at  heart,  and  he  is 
really  the  father  of  Missionaries  ;  and  I  know  of  him 
several  facts  which  afford  to  mj^self  great  evidence  of  his 
true  piety.  He  is  a  friend  to  all  and  with  all,  who  love 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity  and  uprightness ; 
and  he  himself  told  me,  that  he  should  be  most  happy  to 
promote  the  cause  of  your  Society  as  much  as  the  Lord 
shall  enable  him.  He  has  furnished  me  again  with  a 
considerable  quantity  of  Hebrew  New  Testaments.  If 
you  take  in  consideration  the  poverty  of  the  Jews  in  the 
Levant,  you  will  not  be  displeased  at  my  having  given 
them  gratis.  I  sold  seven  at  Aleppo  for  fifteen  piasters 
— those  poor  creatures  were  however  interrupted  in 
reading  the  word  of  life  by  the  terrible  earthquake  ! 
which  made  a  ruinous  heap  of  Aleppo  and  Antioch,  and 
Jisas  Alrhogl  and  Scandaroon,  and  of  all  the  villages 
twenty  leagues  around  Aleppo.  The  whole  Pashalic  of 
Aleppo  is  gone,  and  men  had  no  time  to  repent :  and  in- 
fidelity was  no  longer  permitted  to  blaspheme,  or  to  utter 
a  malicious  smile — nor  to  call  the  saints  of  the  Lord, 
enthusiasts.     Surely,  you  would  have  been  delighted, 


331 

even  as  I  was,  if  you  had  seen  the  New  Testament  pub- 
lished by  your  Society  read  by  Jews  upon  the  highest 
tops  of  mount  Lebanon  ;  and  if  you  had  seen  at  Jerusa- 
lem, Jews,  seventy  years  of  age,  reading  the  New  Tes- 
tament ;  and  verily,  several  of  them  declared,  that  the 
power  of  God  irnn"  rnri?  is  contained  in  the  writings  of 
St.  Paul  ;  and  although  I  did  not  always  think  it  worth 
while  to  answer  the  whimsical  objections  of  Rabbi  Men- 
del, he  nevertheless  acknowledges  that  another  spirit 
must  be  in  the  Gospel,  than  in  the  Christians  of  the  East. 

I  hopetiiai  the  Lord  will  finally  hear  my  prayers,  so 
that  I  shall  meet  one  day  upon  Cavalry  one  of  your  Com- 
mittee— the  Kev.  Lewis  Way. 

Malta  is  the  very  centre  place  for  the  Levant,  and  if 
you  favour  Dr  Naudi  with  your  confidence,  I  hope  you 
will  be  blessed  by  God's  grace,  in  your  labours  for  my 
brethren  in  the  Levant.  1  hope  to  be  at  Jerusalem  next 
Easter-day,  if  the  Lord  pleaseth,  together  with  brother 
Fisk  and  King. 

You  will  have  heard  that  T  took  with  me  from  Cyprus 
two  Greek  boys,  the  father  of  the  little  one  was  behead- 
ed, the  father  of  the  other  saved  his  life  by  turning 
Turk.  The  younger  is  eleven  years  of  age,  the  other 
fifteen  years  of  age.  Both  of  them  write,  read,  and 
speak  the  modern  Greek,  and  understand  the  ancient 
Greek.  I  send  them  to  the  care  of  Henry  Drummond, 
Esq.  that  they  may  one  day  or  olher  be  sent  out  as  mis- 
sionaries for  their  nation. 

I  should  be  very  much  obliged  to  you  indeed,  if  you 
could  send  to  me  Hebrew  tracts,  but  not  in  Jewish  Ger- 
man characters,  which  the  Jews  in  Palstine  are  not  able 
to  read  ;  but  rather  in  biblical  characters  ;  as  for  in- 
stance, Mr.  Bayford's  tracts,  and  it  might  be  well  if  the 
tract  iin}  ri^'i  would  be  printed  in  large  Hebrew  cha- 
racters. I  am  this  time  taking  with  me  the  printing  press 
of  Henry  Drummond,  Esq.  1  should  be  very  much 
obliged  to  you,  if  you  would  favour  me  with  Hebrew 
types,  for  I  might  print  Hebrew  tracts  at  Jerusalem.  It 
might  be  well  if  you  would  send  me  those  Hebrew  types 
with  which  Rabbi  Solomon  Isaac's  Commentary  (^jj-;) 


332 

is  printed.  I  should  be  very  much  obliged  to  you  for 
them  indeed.  I  read  to  day  the  Jewish  Expositor,  of 
December,  1822,  by  which  1  perceive  that  Mr.  M'Caul 
is  returned  to  receive  holy  orders,  about  which  1  very 
much  rejoice  indeed — for  it  gives  me  some  ground  of 
hope  that  he  will  come  to  Jerusalem,  in  the  company  of 
the  Rev.  Lrwis  Way. 

Since  1  experienced  the  earthquake,  a  curious  feeling, 
from  time  to  time,  takes  hold  of  my  heart.  1  think 
often  to  hear  it  again,  and  this  is  just  the  case  in  this 
moment  that  I  am  writing  to  you.  God  preserve  us 
from  all  evil,  and  from  all  trouble. 

The  editions  of  the  prophets  are  very  much  liked  by 
the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  ;  it  might,  however,  be  well  if  the 
Society  would  reprint  them,  without  the  Latin  charac- 
ter in  the  title  page,  for  shey  are  scrupulous,  and  desire 
to  have  exactly  their  editions  ;  namely,  their  Masoreti- 
col  editions.  The  edition  of  Jablonsky  is  very  much 
liked,  and  the  edition  of  Simon,  with  large  types,  not 
that  with  crosses.  I  am  far  from  trying  to  undervalue 
the  other  editions,  they  may  be  very  acceptable  among 
the  Jews  at  Berlin  and  Frankfort,  but  certainly  not 
among  those  of  Jerusalem,  Safet,  and  Tiberias. 

On  onr  return  to  Egypt,  I  shall  visit  again,  together 
with  the  two  American  brethren,  the  spot  of  mount  Si- 
nai, and  then  we  go  from  Suez  to  the  Jordan,  and  from 
thence  to  Jerusalem.  I  send  my  two  printing  presses 
from  Cairo  to  Damiat,  and  from  thence  to  Jaffa  and  Je- 
rusalem. 

I  preached  again  last  night  (1st  of  Jan.  1823,)  in  the 
chapel  of  Mr.  Temple,  on  pardoning  grace  proclaimed 
by  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  a  greatxomfort  to  a 
ransomed  sinner  as  1  am,  to  speak  often  on  the  mercy 
of  God.  It  is  now  just  midnight.  That  the  blessing  of 
our  Saviour  may  rest  upon  you,  and  that  his  Holy  Spi- 
rit may  bless  your  labours,  by  calling  to  Israel,  *'  Hear 
ye  him  !"  this  is  the  earnest  prayer  of.  Gentlemen, 
Yours,  Sic.  Joseph  Wolf. 

Valetia,  Jan.  2,  1823.     ' 


■^ 


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